Congress MLA Aftabuddin Mollah has been arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against priests, namgharias and saints which has sparked a controversy. Mollah was arrested based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him at the Dispur police station over allegations of hurting the sentiments of people and promoting enmity between two communities.
Speaking exclusively to ABP Live on the MLA’s arrest, Guwahati Commissioner of Police (CP) Diganta Barah said, “MLA Aftab Uddin Mollah has been arrested this morning. A case, vide case number 2127/23, has been registered against him at the Dispur police station in Guwahati under sections 295(A) (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153(A)(1)(b) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), and 505(2) (Intent to create or promote on grounds of religion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He will be produced before the court later in the day.”
The MLA was arrested by the police from the state capital Guwahati after a Guwahati resident, Dipak Kumar Das, filed a First Information Report (FIR) against him alleging that the MLA Mollah deliberately and maliciously made his speech against the Hindu priests and saints which has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus. Das further alleged that the MLA’s speech has promoted enmity among the Hindus and the Muslims which is likely to disturb public tranquility.
Mollah allegedly made the remarks while addressing a public meeting in Assam’s Goalpara district earlier this month. The MLA said that the priests and ‘namgharias’ (Vaishnava monks) do wrong things crossing all borders.
Though the MLA later sought a public apology, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) served him a show cause notice asking him to reply immediately as to why the party should not take disciplinary action against him.