Four Dalit men have been booked by the police for celebrating the birth anniversary of Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy or ‘Thanthai’ Periyar, a revered social reformer and writer.
Police said that they were booked after VHP members complained that they raised “anti-Hindu remarks against Hindu Gods.”
The FIR was filed on 19 September against four men — Amar Singh, Dr Suresh, Avdhesh and Ashok Vidhyarti, according to The Quint.
“We got the complaint on behalf of VHP and they are charged under section 295 and 153A of Indian Penal Code,” a police officer told the news website.
“They insulted Hindu Gods in a video that has now gone viral. This one man in the video is insulting Hindu Gods and Goddesses with insulting language in his speech in front of people which also included children,” read the FIR.
However, the Dalit leaders conducted the program, said they were only quoting Periyar, who was a staunch critic of Brahmanism and casteism.
