Goa Congress Leader Faces Police Questioning: Religious Sentiments Row Explained

Goa Congress leader Girish Chodankar faces police questioning after being accused of hurting religious sentiments through a social media post criticising the BJP and highlighting pollution issues.

Photograph: Aftab Alam Siddiqui/ANI Photo

Key Points

Goa Congress leader Girish Chodankar questioned by police over alleged religious sentiments offence.
Chodankar claims his social media post targeted the BJP and highlighted pollution in the Mandovi river.
The case was registered following protests by the Hindu Ekta Samiti.
Chodankar asserts he is Hindu and would not intentionally hurt Hindu sentiments.
He believes the case is politically motivated to put pressure on him.

Goa Congress leader Girish Chodankar on Sunday said he was questioned for three hours by police in connection with an FIR registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

Talking to reporters, he said his social media post, on which the case was registered, was against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and not against Hindus.

He was booked for quoting an 'aarati' to draw attention on pollution caused in Mandovi river by offshore casinos. Following a protest outside the state police headquarters here by several hundred persons under the banner of the Hindu Ekta Samiti, who accused him of distorting a Durga 'aarti', Chodankar was booked.

Chodankar Defends Social Media Post

"How can I hurt the sentiments of Hindus when I myself am Hindu? I was asked all sort of questions for over three hours. They had a list of 150 questions which they asked me. I showed them the concerned video and told them it was against the BJP and not against any religion," Chodankar said.

The Congress leader appeared at Mapusa police station at around 4pm after he was issued a notice to do so in connection with the FIR.

Political Motivation Alleged

The case has been registered to put political pressure on him, Chodankar claimed.

Chodankar, tribal leader Govind Shirodkar and social worker Warren Alemao were booked in three separate case for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, as per police.

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