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April 05, 2007 20:12 IST
Lucknow police has lodged an FIR over the controversial CD issued by campaigners of the Bhartiya Janata Party, with the obvious intent of igniting communal passions.
Taking suo motto cognisance of the CD that was shown on a TV channel on Wednesday, the police on Thursday registered a criminal case in the matter.
"We have registered a case under various provisions of the Representation of People's Act as well as the Indian Penal Code," District Magistrate Ramendra Tripathi told this scribe.
Asked if the FIR was directed against any particular BJP leader since the CD had been released from the party state headquarters in Lucknow, Tripathi said, "Well, so far no one is named; we took suo motto note of the contents of the CD that we viewed on a TV channel; further action will follow after police completes its preliminary inquiry."
Even as top BJP leaders have clearly washed their hands off the much talked about CD, loaded with a venomous anti-Muslim audio-visual campaign, the Election Commission too took note of their alleged involvement behind it.
The CD shown by a private TV channel on Wednesday night was formally withdrawn on Thursday, following instructions from the BJP high command, feigning total ignorance about the objectionable recordings.
A smalltime party functionary, Manoj Misra was also made a scapegoat and fired by the state BJP chief Keshrinath Tripathi for giving away the CD to some media persons, before formal previewing by the party campaign committee, or even by the Election Commission.
Those who have heard the contents were of the view that those were enough to "spark off a communal riot."
According to reports, the CD, titled, 'UP Victimised' is packed with anti-Muslim sentiments. It accuses madrassas of indulging in anti-national activities and blames Muslim youth for enticing Hindu girls.
The CD has charged the UPA government of approving textbooks describing Goddess Durga as being fond of liquor, Aurangzeb as a saint and Lord Ram and Krishna as "fictitious characters."
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