Sambhaji Bhide Row: FIR Filed Against Hindutva Leader For Comments Against Gautam Buddha, Phule, Periyar Naicker

The Navi Mumbai police have registered an FIR against Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide following a complaint for his alleged derogatory comments against Gautam Buddha and social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Periyar Naicker, an official said on Monday.

Last month, an FIR was registered in Amravati against Bhide, the founder of the Shri Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan outfit, for allegedly making offensive remarks about Mahatma Gandhi's lineage during his speech, police earlier said.

Amid opposition parties' demand for action against Bhide for his derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last week said insult of national icons will not be tolerated.

Complaint cites videos of Bhide of making derogatory comments

In the latest case, advocate Amit Katarnavre, a resident of Panvel in Navi Mumbai, gave a complaint at the New Panvel police station, alleging Bhide made derogatory comments against Gautam Buddha, Jyotiba Phule and Periyar Naicker, which hurt the sentiments of those who revered them.

The complaint cited some online videos in which Bhide was seen purportedly making derogatory comments against the social reformers.

After an inquiry into the complaint, the police on Sunday registered an FIR against Bhide under Indian Penal Code Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), the official said.

Mutliple FIRs against Bhide

The FIR also included relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.

On August 1, an FIR was registered against Bhide in Maharashtra's Nashik city for his alleged derogatory remarks against Saibaba of Shirdi and Phule.

Later, the police transferred the FIR to their counterparts in Amravati where Bhide had allegedly made the remarks.