Hindutva Watch, an independent research initiative, on Monday, condemned the police complaint against the group by far-right leader Sambhaji alias Banda Salunkhe, calling it a “desperate attempt to intimidate and silence” the group.
In a Twitter Thread, HW accused it of a “calculated ploy” by Salunkhe to “evade accountability for making communal speeches and his role in the recent Kolhapur riots and Vishalgadh Shrine hate crime (Feb 2023) in which a mob of extremists fired a crude rocket at the shrine.”
A copy of the complaint is attached to the Tweet.
Videos of Salunkhe delivering anti-Muslim hate speeches on different occasions were posted by HW.
According to right-wing mouthpiece news outlet OpIndia, On 7th June 2023, a complaint was filed in the Kolhapur Cyber police station against Hindutva Watch for spreading fake news and inciting riots.
“At Hindutva Watch, our primary objective is to shed light on incidents of hate crimes and hate speeches that perpetuate discrimination, violence, and intolerance against religious minorities. We stand firm in our commitment to exposing such acts and holding individuals accountable, regardless of their political affiliations or positions of power,” the group tweeted.
The group also urged the Kolhapur police to launch a thorough investigation into Salunkhe’s activities over the past year and his role in disrupting communal harmony in the region.
“We are ready to provide the Police with evidence of his involvement in the recent communal incidents,” they added.
