Two Complaints filed against Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, whose complaint led to arrest of law student Sharmishta Panoli, for his comments abusing Hinduism and Hindu deities
A day after West Bengal police arrested a young law student for alleged hate speech, for which she had already apologised, two separate complaints has filed against the person who had lodged the FIR against her. Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, who lodged the FIR against Sharmishta Panoli for alleged insult of Islam, is himself has been found to have abused Hindu deities in the past.
Notably, Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi is the co-founder of Rashidi Foundation of Kolkata, and he had filed the complaint against Sharmishta with Kolkata Police. He had posted several messages on his Instagram account demanding her arrest, informing about his complaint, and then celebrating her eventual arrest.
In the meanwhile, when netizens scanned his social media accounts, it was found that man outraged on alleged insult of Prophet Mohammed and Islam is a habitual abuser of Hinduism and Hindu gods and goddesses. Several of his social media posts abusing different Hindu deities have emerged, many of which he subsequently deleted.
Referring to those abusing posts, Advocate Vineet Jindal filed an official complaint with Delhi police and Cyber Crime Unit of Delhi Police against Wazahat Khan. He sought registration of FIR against Khan under sections 194, 195, 356 of BNS and sections 66, 67, 69 of the IT Act.
He wrote in the online complaint, “I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding a series of extremely offensive, hateful, and defamatory posts circulating on social media by an individual named Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, whose profiles and posts are available publicly on platforms like Twitter (now X). The individual has made repeated posts containing Hate speech targeting the Hindu community, its beliefs, practices, and revered figures including Lord Krishna. Sexually explicit and vulgar language mocking sacred scriptures and deities. Communal provocation aimed at disturbing social harmony. Graphic misinformation and morphed images intended to ridicule and provoke religious sentiments. The content includes abusive terms like rapist culture, urine drinkers, and derogatory remarks on Hindu festivals, deities, and temples (e.g., Kamakhya Devi Temple). These posts appear to be a clear and deliberate attempt to promote enmity between religious groups, which is a punishable offense under 194,195,356 BNS and 66,67,69 of IT Act. request to lodge an FIR against above named person. I am ready to provide any further information or cooperate in the investigation process as required.”
Advocate Amita Sachdeva filed the second complaint with the Cyber Crime Cell of Saket Police in Delhi against the Kolkata resident.
She wrote that the complaint has been filed against Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, Co-Founder of Rashidi Foundation, Kolkata, for “posting offensive, derogatory, and inflammatory content on social media platform X, targeting Hindu Religion, Deities, Festivals, and Culture. These posts have caused significant hurt to the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, including myself, and have the potential to incite communal disharmony.”
Reportedly, Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi has already started deleting his posts abusing Hinduism and Hindu deities, festivals etc. Sharmishta Panoli had also deleted has alleged offensive video, and had issued an apology. Despite that, she was arrested by West Bengal police and sent to judicial custody for 14 days by Alipore Court in Kolkata.
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