On June 23, an FIR was filed against Sudarshan News editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke for delivering a “communal speech” in Sangamner on June 6, which had resulted in unrest in the region and the arrest of 17 people, as reported by the Indian Express. According to the FIR, which was filed at the Sangamner city police station in Ahmednagar based on a complaint by a police officer, at least two people were injured and five vehicles were vandalized in the violence that followed a rally organized by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, where Chavhanke was a key speaker. In addition to Chavhanke, two other speakers associated with the Bajrang Dal have been booked in the FIR.
Further information provided in the FIR states that the rally was held between 9.45 am and 12.45 pm, and was attended by around 18,000 people. It has also been said that the rally had been held after an alleged incident have taken place on May 25 where a few people sustained minor injuries. As per the FIR, Chavhanke referred to a WhatsApp screenshot that he claimed to have received where a local Muslim man was complaining to another local about having invited Chavhanke and “making a local issue international”. Chavhanke allegedly referred to how certain parts of the state were “beginning to look like Pakistan” and no one was taking any action.
He further mentioned in his speech about the “love jihad” taking place, adding that Muslim women should convert to Hindusim and spell out its advantages. He said that before giving the speech, he was warned that an FIR could be registered against him. He went on to say that there were 1,826 FIRs registered against him and that “even Dawood (Ibrahim) does not have as many FIR’s against him”.
As reported by the Indian Express, an officer has provided that based on the video recording of the speeches, an FIR under section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 34 (common intention) and 506(II) (public mischief at a place of worship) has been registered against Chavhanke and Bajrang Dal members Yogesh Suryavanshi and Vishal Vakchaure.
The “unrest” that Chavhanke’s speech had resulted in
The hate speech given by Chavhanke as well as the violence that has erupted later had been covered in detail by SabrangIndia. In the said report it was provided that after the hate speech, a mob wearing saffron caps and carrying saffron flags are seen creating ruckus outside an eatery called ‘Hotel Lucky’ and pelting stones at it. The mob was also seen raising slogans ‘Jai Bhawani, Jai Shivaji’. This video was posted by journalist Sadaf Afreen on her twitter account. In the video, it could also be seen how packets of food were skewed on the floor and the place was ransacked.
In another video, though it has not been confirmed that it is from Sangamner as it was shot by someone stealthily from the rooftop, an unruly mob was seen pelting stones. It can be seen in the video that a couple of police personnel are trying to control the crowd of some 20 men who dared pelt stones even when the policeman was standing right in front of him.
CJP complaint against Chavhanke:
On June 12, the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had also filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Ahmendnagar and Police Inspector, Sangamner against a speech delivered by Suresh Chavhanke in Sangamner, as well as his inciteful twitter posts. In the said complaint, CJP had highlighted the hateful, anti-Muslim, anti-women and provoking speech delivered by Chavhanke at the said event.
In his speech, he had uttered offensive and derogatory statements, telling the audience about the “benefits” for Muslim women marrying Hindu men like no talaq (divorce), no circumcision of children, only one wife, no “hum chaar humare chawalees” [four of us and 44 children], among others.
At the event, he also made a baseless claim that, “Ever since I have shown the benefits of marrying Hindu men, 10 lakh Muslim women have married Hindu men.”
The complaint also highlighted the even before the said event, Chavhanke had posted videos on twitter asking people to attend his event through which he wants to stop the “Islamification” of Sangamner. He can be further heard saying in the video, “The state of affairs in Sangamner is quite bad because the city is turning ‘green’, there is Love jihad happening against Hindu girls and Hindus are walking in fear on the streets”.
In the complaint to the police authorities, CJP also mentioned the previous instances of hate speech by Chavhanke in Ahmednagar and Nashik between January ‘23 and May ‘23. Through the speeches highlighted CJP has sought swift action against Chavhanke. He tops all the hate speeches that have been delivered in Maharashtra. The complaint states that,
“the utterances [of these speeches] also amount to an act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups and is likely to disturb public tranquility. Moreover, such open intimidation and hate-filled statements only makes the targeted group more vulnerable to violent Acts. Additionally, after his June 2023 speech, the effects of such communal speeches were seen in Sangamner.”
Other FIRs against Suresh Chavhanke in Maharshtra
So far, apart from this latest FIR, two other FIRs have been filed against Chavhanke, one in Jalgaon and the other one in Sambhajinagar since December 2022. Other than the speech highlighted above, since December 2022, Chavhanke has made six hate speeches in Maharashtra- Jalgaon (December 25, 2022), Ahmednagar (February 6), Pune (February 15), Aurangabad (March 19) and Nashik (March 22), Srirampur (May 15). Out of these six event, two of the events had taken place in the Ahmednagar district, against which CJP had complaint with the police.
On one event, held on May 19, CJP, deeply concerned with the communal ideology being spread by Suresh Chavhanke through his hate speeches, had sent a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, Ahmednagar to register a complaint against Chavhanke for his latest hate stint in Shrirampur, Maharashtra, where he delivered an anti-Muslim hate speech at a Hindu Hunkar Dharam Sabha event organised by the Rashtriya Sri Ram Sangh (SRS).
In the other complaint, sent on February 6, CJP had complained to the DGP, Maharashtra and SP, Ahmednagar to register a complaint against the hate-filled and Islamophobic speech delivered by notorious Chavhanke. In the said speech, at an event held at Nagar district of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Chavhanke made derogatory and inciteful statements, used slurs, and spewed hate against the Muslims by making spreading misinformation.
Previously, on May 9, another complaint, first in Maharashtra, had been registered by Jilhapeth Police station against 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).
Related:
CJP complains against Suresh Chavhanke for Sangamner hate speech
Suresh Chavhanke’s speech in Sangamner results in stone pelting post rally?
RSS seeks to disown Suresh Chavhanke, T Raja, says hate speeches don’t reflect RSS ideology
Defiant of the SC, Suresh Chavhanke, Raja Singh & Hindutva outfits escalate hate to dangerous levels
Should repeat hate speeches (Suresh Chavhanke, Nagar, Maharashtra) not be prosecuted?