Guwahati police files FIR against journalist for 'ridiculing' Centre, Assam govt; mocking Ram Rajya

Guwahati, Aug 20 (PTI) Guwahati police on Thursday registered an FIR against journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma over his video allegedly ridiculing the Assam and Union governments and promoting religious enmity, a senior official said.

The FIR invokes Sections 152 (sedition), 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

This comes close on the heels of two senior journalists — Siddharth Vardarajan and Karan Thapar — being summoned by Guwahati police in connection with cases registered under similar sections — 152, 196, and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — and asked to appear on August 22.

According to the complaint, Sharma uploaded a video on YouTube accusing Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of pursuing communal politics.

"Sharma also mocked the principle of Ram Rajya and claimed that the government survives only on Hindu-Muslim polarisation," complainant Alok Baruah, a 23-year-old resident of Nayanpur, Ganeshguri, said.

Baruah stated that the remarks were made with mala fide intent to discredit the duly elected governments at the Centre and in Assam, and were likely to provoke communal sentiments.

''Sharma had published and circulated an article through an online platform (YouTube), which contained statements ridiculing and denigrating both the governments, thereby, endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India'', the complainant stated.

Baruah also alleged that the journalist accused the government of surviving solely on "Hindu-Muslim polarisation," thereby provoking communal sentiments; accusing Assam CM of communal politics and promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, mocking and ridiculing the principle of Ram Rajya.

He said such comments are capable of disturbing public peace, inflaming passions, creating distrust against lawfully established authorities and promoting enmity between religious groups.

The FIR further records that the video is being discussed in the complainant’s locality and that people are talking about a religion-based divide after viewing it which may disturb public peace and harmony.

The complainant claimed alleged that the offences committed by Sharma are punishable under Sections 152 (which replaced the repealed sedition law and criminalises acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India), 196 (offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community) and 197 (dealing with with imputations and assertions that are prejudicial to national integration) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

"The video circulated by the accused 'is not mere criticism, but amounts to an attempt to excite disaffection, provoke public disorder, and endanger the unity and integrity of India by portraying the state as corrupt, communal, and illegitimate, thereby, committing an offence punishable u/s Section 152 of the BNS," the complainant stated.

The circulation of the video by the accused, which claims that the Assam CM "constantly spews venom and raises Hindu-Muslim issues," amounts to promoting enmity between different religious groups and is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony, thereby constituting an offense punishable under Section 196 of the BNS.

Sharma by making imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration by his deliberate and intentional acts and statements, committed the offence punishable under Section 197 of the BNS, he said. PTI DG DG MNB