'Hate' speech: Police to register case against Pillai

Thiruvananthapuram: Former minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai will be booked for his alleged derogatory remarks against minorities with the state police chief giving the direction for registration of the case.

State DGP Loknath Behera gave a direction to the Kollam police to register a case against the senior politician, who has tendered an unconditional apology and alleged his speech had been distorted by media.

The KC(B) leader would be charged under IPC section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), police said Thursday.

Pillai, who supported the CPI(M)-led LDF in the Assembly polls in May this year, had landed in a controversy earlier this week over his alleged derogatory remarks against minorities, especially against Muslims and Christians.

However, facing heat, he tendered an unconditional apology later and alleged that the media distorted and edited his speech and there was a conspiracy in making his speech controversy.

Soon after Pillai's alleged remarks were published in the media, widespread protests were staged by various sections of the society, especially minority community organisations.

The KC(B) leader reportedly made the speech on July 31 at Pathanapuram at a meeting of Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation of the forward Nair community in the state.

Condemning the speech, Muslim outfits sought strong action against him for hurting their sentiments and alleged it was aimed at igniting communal tension.