FIR against Digvijaya Singh over controversial post on ex-RSS chief Golwalkar

Bhopal/Indore: The Indore police have registered a case against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh for allegedly sharing a controversial post on former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief MS Golwalkar on social media, an official said on Sunday.

Following the post, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused Congress leaders of spreading "misinformation" and creating social hatred by sharing a "false" post on Golwalkar.

Chouhan said the former RSS head worked throughout his life to remove social differences and build a harmonious society.

However, a state Congress leader said Digvijaya Singh shared facts on the basis of a book and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot silence the voice of his party.

Golwalkar was the longest-serving RSS chief and was at the helm of the organisation from 1940-73.

Digvijaya Singh on Saturday tweeted a picture of a page carrying several controversial comments quoted to the former RSS head, known as 'Guruji' among his admirers.

Golwalkar was quoted as saying he would rather live under the British rule than have equal rights given to Dalits, backwards and Muslims. Some other controversial comments were also attributed to him.

Following the post, senior RSS functionary and its publicity department head Sunil Ambekar accused the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister of posting a "photoshopped" image.

It is baseless and is meant to cause social disharmony, he said, adding that 'Guruji' never made such remarks.

His life was spent removing social discrimination, he said.

Based on a complaint filed by lawyer and RSS worker Rajesh Joshi, an FIR was registered in Indore on Saturday night against Digvijaya Singh under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), an official from Tukoganj police station said.

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Indore Police Commissioner Makarand Deuskar said, "We received a complaint claiming that Singh in the post attributed some remarks to Golwalkar which the latter never made. Based on this complaint, the case has been registered against Singh."

Further steps would be taken after a probe into the charges against Digvijaya Singh, Deuskar said.

In his complaint, Rajesh Joshi alleged Singh had shared a controversial poster on Facebook and Twitter bearing the name and picture of "Guruji" to incite people by creating conflict among Dalits, backward classes, Muslims and Hindus, as per the FIR.

The complaint claimed Singh's post on Golwalkar allegedly hurt the religious beliefs of Sangh workers and the entire Hindu community, according to the FIR.

In a statement sent to the media, a Sangh official from Indore alleged Digvijaya Singh had made a "false and unwarranted post" about Golwalkar on social media to tarnish the organisation's image.

MP CM Chouhan in a tweet posted on Saturday night said, It is the habit of Congress leaders to spread misinformation and hatred without knowing the facts. Revered Shri Golwalkar Guruji worked throughout his life to remove social differences and build a harmonious society."

This kind of "false propaganda" about Guruji (as Golwalkar was popularly called) shows the frustration of Congress leaders, he said.

The attempt to create social hatred by putting a false picture of Guruji is condemnable, the CM said.

On Saturday morning, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in a tweet while sharing a post on Golwalkar stated, "Must know what Guru Golwalkar ji's thoughts were for Dalits, backwards and Muslims and on the rights over water, forest and land."

Singh's post had a page with a quote claimed to be from a book of Golwalkar. Another quote about Dalits, backwards and Muslims was claimed to have been made by Golwalkar in 1940.

When contacted, MP Congress media department chairman KK Mishra told PTI that Digvijaya Singh shared the facts on the basis of an English book.

Digvijaya Singh writes everything after verifying the facts and this case will not stand in the court of law, he claimed.

The BJP can't silence the voice of Congress. I had given a complaint to the police about a video on beef shared by a state BJP spokesman, but four months have passed and the police have not take any action despite submission of all proofs, Mishra said.

The police act only on the complaints of BJP and RSS workers, the Congress leader further claimed.