Chhattisgarh religious leader Kalicharan Maharaj booked for justifying Mahatma Gandhi's killing

New Delhi/Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Police have registered an FIR against a religious leader Kalicharan Maharaj and some others for allegedly making derogatory comments on Mahatma Gandhi and praising his killer Nathuram Godse.

Kalicharan Maharaj had made a controversial speech justifying the killing of Mahatma Gandhi at a `Dharam Sansad` organised on Sunday (December 26) in Raipur.

The FIR against Kalicharan Maharaj has been filed on the basis of the complaint lodged by former Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Pramod Dubey.

According to reports, the police have registered the FIR under section 505(2), 294 IPC in the Tikrapara Police station. 

The state government`s action comes in the backdrop of the Haridwar event in which hate speeches were made. The event in Raipur was orgainsed at Rawanbhata in which Sant Kalicharan Maharaj is alleged to have used derogatory words for Mahatma Gandhi and hailing Nathuram Godse, who killed Gandhi.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi too tweeted #Gandhiforever and quoted Gandhi that "you cannot imprison my thoughts". A similar incident was reported to have taken place in Haridwar during an event held from December 17 to 20. 

“आप मुझे बेड़ियों से जकड़ सकते हैं, यातना दे सकते हैं, आप इस शरीर को ख़त्म भी कर सकते हैं, लेकिन आप मेरे विचारों को क़ैद नहीं कर सकते।”

- महात्मा गांधी#GandhiForever

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 27, 2021

The video clippings were circulated on social media, which said that "Hindus should arm themselves like those seen in Myanmar, every Hindu must pick up weapons and conduct a ‘Safayi Abhiyan’."

The three-day event was organised by Yati Narasimhanand, a controversial religious leader who has been accused in the past of inciting violence.

The Uttarakhand Police have lodged an FIR in the case against Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, who was former Shia Waqf board chairman and recently converted to Hinduism.