Assam: Police Arrest Congress MLA for Allegedly Disparaging Religious Figures

GUWAHATI: In a significant development, the Assam Police took Congress MLA Aftabuddin Mollah into custody on Wednesday, following allegations that he made derogatory comments concerning priests, namgharias, and saints. The case has been formally registered at the Dispur Police station, citing violations of Sections 295(a), 153A(1)(b), and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A senior officer from the Assam Police department confirmed the arrest and identified Aftabuddin Mollah as the Congress leader in question, who currently serves as the MLA representing the Jaleswar Assembly constituency in Assam.

The controversial remarks were reportedly made during a speech delivered by the MLA on November 4th, in which he is said to have uttered disparaging comments about priests, namgharias, and saints. The fallout from his statements was swift, as a concerned resident of Bhetapara in Guwahati lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Mollah, alleging that his comments had hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community and had the potential to stoke animosity between Muslims and Hindus.

Notably, the Assam Congress president, Bhupen Borah, wasted no time in addressing the issue, issuing a show cause notice to Mollah on November 7th, in connection with the MLA's derogatory comments. The arrest and subsequent legal proceedings mark a significant development in this case, with implications for the political landscape in Assam.

The state BJP has strongly condemned the recent communal remark made by Congress MLA Aftab Uddin Mollah. Addressing the media at the BJP party headquarter, state BJP spokesperson Subhash Dutta said that the remarks made by the Congress MLA touched the lives of the Indian and Assamese people. The Congress not only insulted the Hindus but also the gods and goddesses of Hinduism and the places of worship.”

Dutta said that “when the Congress was in power in the centre, there were many communal riots in the country. And because of the Congress, various Xatras, Naamghars, and Devalois lands were encroached upon.”

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