PUNE: Police have registered a case against a BJP youth wing office-bearer for allegedly referring to Kondhwa as “Karachi of Pakistan” in a video that went viral on social media earlier this week.The FIR was filed two days after the video surfaced, following protests by local residents and activists outside the Kondhwa police station demanding action.The police took suo motu cognisance of the video and registered the case on Wednesday under Section 353(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
A senior officer from the Kondhwa police station told TOI that the case was registered based on the video posted from the accused’s personal social media handle. “We are yet to record his statement,” the officer said.The video, captioned “Welcome to Kondhwa of Pakistan” and shared from the BJP youth wing office-bearer’s personal social media account, shows him allegedly referring to the area as Karachi while highlighting alleged encroachments outside a hospital. He claimed that several shops and temporary stalls had come up outside the hospital in violation of norms and court guidelines.The remarks drew sharp reactions from residents, who said the statement questioned the patriotism of people living in the area. Farooque Shaikh, a local resident, said, “We are as much Indian as any other citizen. It is wrong to call our locality part of Pakistan.”Tajuddin Siddiqui, another resident, said branding any part of India as “Pakistan” was unconstitutional and reflected anti-Muslim sentiment. “Kondhwa is a diverse, multi-religious area. Such remarks are unacceptable,” he said, adding that the comment “is an attempt to defame an entire community”.Mohsin Shaikh, another resident of Kondhwa, said the party concerned should clarify its stand. “Recently, a Nepal airline was criticised for showing an incorrect map of India. The airline issued an apology. Here, a locality is being compared to a city in Pakistan by a member of a party in govt. The party must clarify if it endorses such remarks,” he said.BJP’s youth wing city president Dushyant Mohol defended the office-bearer’s comment, saying it reflected the prevailing situation in Kondhwa. He said, “Given the atmosphere there, his comment is justified and I support it.”Prashant Jagtap, Congress corporator and a former mayor, said BJP should act against those making such remarks and stressed that Kondhwa should not be judged by an isolated incident. “This is the same area where people come out in support of the country whenever needed. It should not be viewed through a religious lens. Those making such remarks should be sent to Pakistan,” he said.Kashif Sayyad, a local Congress corporator, said, “Strict action should be taken in the matter to send out a clear message so that nobody dares to make such remarks again.”
