On May 9, a complaint has been registered (FIR) by Jilhapeth Police station against repeat hate offender Suresh Chavhanke and Prashant Juvekar for delivering a hate speech in Jalgaon on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022 at an event organised by the notorious Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS). At the December 25 event Chavhanke not only made provocative comments against the festival of Christmas (“Christmas of the 2 % is being imposed on the 98 %”) and Christians (stating “how Christianity has ruined our intellect”). The nine minute video, muted at several points proceeds to make stigmatising remarks about Muslims using terms like ‘Land Jihad” and ‘Love Jihad.’ He made baseless and unsubstantiated allegations against madrassas and made false and baseless claims about forced religious conversions in Jalgaon.
The 9-minute video of the speech may be viewed here:
Far-right Hindu groups have adopted a new strategy to avoid their hate speeches from coming under the scanner.
They mute live stream of segments where speakers deliver anti-Muslim remarks.
Suresh Chavhanke delivered one such speech at Hindu Janajagruti Samiti event on Dec 25. pic.twitter.com/AhYb5DhMcz
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) December 29, 2022
The entire transcript of the video can be read here. Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had, on December 30 flagged details of this hate content made by Suresh Chavhanke.
The most offensive parts of Chavhanke’s speech:
- “Today is a Christian festival. There are 2% Christians in India, at least the ones who tell their real names, leave aside the fake ones. The festival of these 2% is being imposed on the 98% people. The Hindus are so gullible that they are putting up Christmas trees in hotels, malls, airports. Is there any relation of Christmas trees and India?”
- “It is taught in these mosques how to tie kalava, how to keep fake identity, they are given motorcycles. This is an organized crime. They are big dacoits and terrorists and so that there is a law against it, I am coming to Maharashtra”
- “Our first Education was not even Indian, he was a Saudi national. He was educated in a Madrassa and was making our education policy. Along with Christians, they did not let the stories our Hindu Bravehearts come to the forefront. In CBSE syllabus there are only four lines dedicated to Shivaji Maharaj. Aurangzeb, Babur, Khilji find mention. Today, this is getting transformed. If you fall into her mentality then your next generation will be Muslims.”
Present FIR
The present FIR has been registered at the instance of Police Naik Bharat Chavan of Jilhapeth police station in Jalgaon stating that through the speeches, the accused tried to divide the society along communal lines, said objectionable things and also violated the conditions laid down by the police for the said event. Reports of the action taken by the Jalgaon police have been reported in the daily, Sakal. The case is being investigated by Sub-Inspector Ganesh Deshmukh.
CJP complains against April 30, 2023 Hate Event in Jalgaon
On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, Citizens for Justice and Peace (cjp.org.in) has despatched a complaint by email and registered post against a recent hate event, a similar event organised by HJS in Jalgaon’s Dharangaon on April 30 where hateful and inciteful speeches were made by unidentified speakers. A complaint has been sent to Jalgaon SP, M Rajkumar and SDPO, Jalgaon as well. CJP and other organisations, who will be collectively meeting the SP, M Rajkumar on this recent complaint soon. There is demand for investigations into individual hate offenders as also organisers who are arranging these serial incidents in the state.
At the April 30, 23 event too, the speakers have made misinformed and offensive claims against the minority community and their culture. The said speakers have even made open calls of violence against the Muslim community.
These series of hate events and speeches are being allowed even as an ongoing case in the Supreme Court has directed preventive and prosecutorial action against organisations and speakers.
In October 2022, January-February 2023 and finally on April 28, 2023, the Supreme Court directed police authorities in Maharashtra and all other states to ensure application of prevention and prosecution measures, already prescribed under Indian criminal law, to such events, the organisations and speakers. The next hearing of the matter in the Supreme Court is scheduled for tomorrow, April 12. Maharashtra state has been specifically asked to answer why it has failed to act against hate.
Since December 2022, Chavhanke has made five hate speeches in Maharashtra Jalgaon (December 25, 2022), Ahmednagar (February 6), Pune (February 15), Aurangabad (March 19) and Nashik (March 22). This is the first FIR against him in Maharashtra.
Other hate offenders against whom FIRs have been registered in the state are T Raja Singh, suspended BJP MLA (four FIRs), Kajal Hindustani (two FIRs), Kallicharan Maharaj (one FIR) and now, Suresh Chavhanke (one FIR). No arrests have yet been made in this connection.
Related:
Christmas of the 2% is being imposed on the 98%, says Suresh Chavhanke
Should repeat hate speeches (Suresh Chavhanke, Nagar, Maharashtra) not be prosecuted?