Several Muslim minors booked in M'shtra: the crime - posting Aurangzeb's pics on social media
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Mumbai: Since altercations have erupted over historical figure Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in several parts of Maharashtra, several people, including minors, have been booked for sharing and posting the images and videos of Aurangzeb on social media.
However, the question what is the legality of the crime involved in the sharing of an image of a yesteryear emperor of the country has been left to be answered.
The severity of the cases is that most of the cases have been lodged under pressure from the Hindutva groups who wanted even minors to be put behind bars for their religious bigotry for political gains.
The crime involved in these cases, as quoted by Police officials, is that most posts had compared Mughal emperor Aurangzeb with Maratha leader Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj when the state was celebrating the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, which falls on June 2nd in Maharashtra.
The repercussions of these posts were swift, with FIRs being registered against the youngsters involved in charges like sections 295 (A) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 505 (2) (Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report, with intent to incite any class or community) of the IPC.
Notably, a 14-year-old boy from Beed became the target of legal action after sharing a post on Aurangzeb with the statement 'baap to baap rahega' (the father will remain the father). The minor, who had been visiting relatives in Mumbai during school vacation, found himself in trouble when the post sparked controversy. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he promptly uploaded an apology video to anyone who had been offended by his post.
Similar cases involving minors have emerged across the state, primarily involving individuals between the ages of 18 and 25. In most instances, the controversial posts compared Aurangzeb or Tipu Sultan, the 18th-century ruler of Mysore, with the revered figure of Shivaji Maharaj. The timing of these uploads, coinciding with the celebrations of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, further exacerbated the situation.
It is predominantly religious activist groups, particularly Hindu organizations, that have been approaching the police seeking legal action against these social media posts originating from members of other communities.
In some instances, these groups have even organized half-day local protests, resulting in tense situations. Paradoxically, one of the images of Aurangzeb that have caused trouble for users was sourced from an NCERT textbook.
The Kolhapur police have arrested and detained five minors in a juvenile centre, following demands from Hindu groups for legal action against them. One of the detained minors' families expressed their shock and confusion when the police arrived at their doorstep, accusing their 15-year-old relative of hurting Hindu sentiments by sharing a video of Aurangzeb. The family, perplexed by how a teenager could allegedly insult an entire community, promptly deleted the video once they became aware of the controversy it had sparked.
The root cause of these incidents can be traced back to the formal name change of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Shivaji's son, in February of this year. This alteration appears to have played a significant role in provoking the posting of controversial content.
The incidents have sparked a broader debate on freedom of expression, religious tolerance, and the responsible use of social media among minors. The authorities are now faced with the challenging task of balancing the need to maintain harmony between communities while safeguarding the rights and responsibilities of young individuals in the digital age.
