After Kalicharan, another religious leader booked for calling Mahatma Gandhi a 'traitor'

Days after Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj was arrested for his insulting remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, another religious leader has been booked for referring to the Father of the nation as a 'traitor' in the context of the Partition of India. Madhya Pradesh police on Tuesday registered a case against religious leader Tarun Murari Bapu for his alleged derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi during an event in Narsinghpur.

Superintendent Of Police, Narsinghpur, Vipul Srivastava said, "We saw the video after which a case was registered under Section 505 (2) and 153 B. Since there is less than 7 years of punishment (in the matter) as per CrPC Section 41A, we have sent a notice to him (Tarun Murari Bapu)."

As per the complaint lodged by Youth Congress leader Rohit Patel, Tarun Murari made these comments while addressing sermons in Mahakaushal Nagar area of Narsinghpur on Sunday. "Whoever breaks the nation into pieces, how can he be the father of the nation? I oppose them. He is a deshdrohi (traitor)," he had said.

After this statement came to the fore, Congress gave a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police for registering an objection to it. Subsequently, a case was registered under sections 153, 504, 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Ganj police station.

Murari later defended himself while talking to reporters. “I am repeating it. A 'deshdrohi' (traitor) is the one who breaks the country into pieces and the so-called Bapu has done this work. The bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) had said that the Partition would only happen over my dead body but it held in front of his eyes. Be it you, me or Bapu, whoever divides the country is a 'Deshdrohi' in my views,” he said.

Hindu seer hails Mahatma Gandhi's assassin; arrested

Earlier last week, self-styled seer Kalicharan Maharaj was booked and arrested by the Chhattisgarh Police from Madhya Pradesh for his alleged derogatory remarks against the Father of the Nation during a Dharma Sansad in Raipur. He downgraded Mahatma Gandhi and hailed Nathuram Godse for assassinating him. Kalicharan claimed that it was Gandhi who had aided Muslims to capture countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh through politics. 

A Magistrate court has remanded the Hindu seer to 14-day judicial custody till January 13.

(With inputs from agencies)