What happened
Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber police registered a case against Hindutva ideologue T.G. Mohandas over remarks made in YouTube videos that allegedly encouraged violence against protesters at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The police case is linked to Mohandas’s alleged statement that he “would have shot” protesters if he had been in control.
Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber police linked the remarks to student protests against alleged NEET examination irregularities. Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber police also indicated that Mohandas spoke about imposing a curfew in an area described as about a four-square-kilometre area around Jantar Mantar and then announcing for the crowd to disperse before “shooting”.
Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber police further relied on another YouTube video mentioned in the police case, in which Mohandas allegedly said secular women participating in protests “enjoy being gangraped.”
Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber police registered the case under multiple provisions, including BNS Section 192 (provisions related to provoking with intent to cause a riot), BNS Section 353(1)(b) (provisions related to publishing statements likely to create fear or alarm and disturb public tranquillity), IT Act Section 66, and Kerala Police Act Section 120(o).
Background and earlier position (speech, protest, and public order)
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- Letters to the Editor: responses on harassment/doxxing and cyberbullying following student protests
- Misguided children used abusive words, want to forgive them (Modi on Jantar Mantar)