Congress leader files defamation case against Hindusthani

Panara said that Shingala’s comments at an event in Surat on June 8, 2023, has angered the Patidar community. In a purported video, Shingala is heard saying that seven college-going girls have chosen boys from other faith as their boyfriends, are swapping boyfriends among themselves, have pilfered money from their homes to purchase a car worth Rs 40 lakh for their boyfriends, even as their mothers are busy making reels and fathers are busy earning money.

“No one should defame any community or their daughters and sisters in the way Kajalben (Shingala) cooked up a false story about Patidar community, about Patidar sisters and daughters for her selfish intention of becoming famous, for her TRP. Even if some incident has happened, as a social worker, she doesn’t have the right to speak about it on a public platform,” Panara told mediapersons.

“We gave her enough time to apologise. But instead of apologising, she is responding aggressively. Therefore, I have filed a case of defamation against her. In coming days, we shall also file a petition in the high court, seeking direction to restrain her from making debilitating comments and also take action against those who organise such events,” he added.

Panara had filed a complaint with A Division police station in Morbi on March 18 this year, demanding that Shingala be booked for hate speech. However, no FIR has been registered till date even as police officers from Morbi had told The Indian Express that they were forwarding Panara’s complaint to the Surat police in whose jurisdiction the alleged offence is believed to have taken place.

On Saturday, Patidars had taken out a rally and submitted a memorandum to the Morbi district collector, demanding that an FIR be registered against Shingala.