Indian man ‘made to rub nose’ on temple floor for a post on 'The Kashmir Files'

Rajesh Kumar Meghwal dared to ask why films highlighting atrocities against other communities aren't made tax-free.

Eleven people have been booked in Alwar district for allegedly forcing a 32-year-old Dalit man to rub his nose on a temple floor for comments he made in response to one of his Facebook posts about The Kashmir Files, The Indian Express reported. Seven of the 11 accused were arrested on Wednesday.

Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, 32, said it all started after he uploaded a Facebook post regarding The Kashmir Files on March 18. “I had watched the trailer and uploaded a post, in which I said the film has shown atrocities against Kashmiri Pandits and is being made tax-free. That is fine, but there are also atrocities against Dalits and other communities. Why are films such as Jai Bhim not made tax free?” the outlet quoted Meghwal – a resident of Gokalpur village – as saying.

He went on to allege that people started sharing religious slogans on his FB post later, following which, he started receiving threats, pressurising him to apologise publicly. “Villagers and a former sarpanch started to mount pressure on me to apologise at the village temple. They assured me that I will not be roughed up. But they started heckling me and forced me to rub my nose at the platform of the temple against my wishes,” Meghwal shared.

Following the incident, based on Meghwal’s complaint, an FIR was lodged at Behror police station   under sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 342 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) and 11 people were booked.

“I am under immense pressure after the FIR and am scared for my safety,” Meghwal added. Behror circle officer Rao Anand told the outlet, “We have arrested seven people out of the 11 named accused. They are Ajay Kumar Sharma, Sanjeet Kumar, Hemant Sharma, Parvindra Kumar, Ramotar, Nitin Jangid and Dayaram. Further investigation is being conducted.”

On March 21, the Kota district administration, in an order imposing section 144, had stated that: “In view of The Kashmir Files playing at cinema halls and to maintain law and order in the district, there is a need to suspend gathering of crowds, protests, assemblies and processions”.

The Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, in response on Wednesday, said that the Kota district administration has clarified and tweeted that Section 144 will not be applicable on The Kashmir Files or any other films being screened in cinema halls.

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