Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata, Dec 6: Actor and Politician Paresh Rawal is in trouble over his controversial statement on Bengalis. Kolkata Police has registered an FIR against him for alleged anti- Bengali hate speech.
Earlier, Md Salim, State Secretary of CPI(M) in West Bengal, had lodged a police complaint against Paresh Rawal for his “anti-Bengali” remarks. He alleged Paresh Rawal’s comment was provocative and it could provoke ‘riots and destroy the harmony between Bengali and other communities’.
“A large number of Bengalis reside outside the limits of the State. I apprehend that many of them will be prejudicially targeted and affected because of the vicious remarks made by Paresh Rawal,” Salim’s complaint stated.
A case has been filed against Paresh Rawal under IPC sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 153 B (propagates denial of rights to linguistic or racial groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements intending public mischief).
The complaint holds relevance as Paresh Rawal received backlash for his remarks relating to inflation, gas cylinders, Bengalis and fish during BJP’s campaign speech. On December 2, the veteran actor apologised for his take on the subject and clarified that he was referring to unauthorized ‘Bangladeshis and Rohingyas’. Meanwhile, TMC slammed Rawal over his statement.
