After a bakery owner in Chennai was arrested over an Islamophobic advertisement, IAS Sanjay Dixit defended the owner and said that his arrest was the height of absurdity and appeasement. "When did Islamophobia become an offence under IPC?" he questioned.
Taking to Twitter, Dixit wrote, "This is the height of absurdity and appeasement. When did Islamophobia become an offence under IPC? Anyone is entitled to feel scared of any danger he perceives around us. Jains themselves are a minority much smaller than Muslims. This amounts to minority persecution of Jains."
Earlier, a 32-year old man, owner of "Jain Bakeries and Confectioneries" located at Parthasarathi Puram in the T Nagar area in Chennai was arrested for an Islamophobic advertisement which he allegedly posted on WhatsApp. The advertisement read, "Made by Jains on orders, No Muslim staff".
According to PTI, a complaint was lodged against him saying the words depicted Muslims in a bad light and Mambalam police registered a case and arrested him, a release said adding a probe was on.
The police said that the 32-year-old Prashant, owner of the Jain Bakeries and Confectioneries sold his products online. In a Whatapp message, he had said: "Made by Jains on orders, no Muslim staffs".
Police sources told NDTV that a case of malicious intention to outrage religious feelings and intent to breach peace has been registered against the bakery owner.
Vineet Vats Tyagi, who according to his Twitter bio is a State Secretary & Media Incharge, Yuva Morcha, BJP Delhi also sided with the baker and said that it was selective secularism.
He wrote, "If a government or a private organisation bring something exclusively for Muslims, it is secular but if a common man, concerned of his safety due to very much valid reasons, want to hire non-muslims only, it is communal and he gets arrested for that.Why this selective secularism?"
