Kanpur BJP leader arrested for derogatory tweets against Prophet
The arrest comes days after clashes broke out in Kanpur over remarks against the Prophet by the now-suspended BJP spokesperson, Nupur Sharma.
A BJP leader has been arrested by the Kanpur Police for derogatory tweets against Prophet Mohammad, days after clashes broke out in the Uttar Pradesh city over remarks against the Prophet by the now-suspended BJP spokesperson, Nupur Sharma. The tweets have been deleted since.
The arrested leader, Harshit Srivastava, is a member of the BJP’s Youth Wing and a member of the student council.
“His posts were objectionable. Police took immediate action and registered a case under relevant sections, following which he was arrested,” Kapur top cop Vijay Singh Meena said.
“The government’s policy is very clear. If anyone tries to stir up a communal frenzy or disturb social harmony, unbiased and strict actions will be taken,” he added.
The BJP, facing extreme international backlash over the comments made by its party leaders, suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled Naveen Kumar Jindal for their remarks on the Prophet. The foreign ministry, in an attempt to firefight on war footing, called the comments “views of the fringe”.