Maharashtra: FIR filed after Congress post on X showing a BJP office in flames

The FIR has been registered based on a complaint lodged by Prakash Gade, BJP’s social media head in Mumbai, who stated that on September 28 the @INCMaharashtra account tagged multiple Congress and BJP handles and posted: “BJP should not ignore the plight of the people. Otherwise, just as the Gen Z in Leh set fire to a BJP office, a similar situation could arise across the country,” the post had said.

The post also included an image showing protesters holding banners such as ‘Ladakh Protest’, ‘Uttarakhand Paper Leak Protest’, and ‘Bihar Vote Adhikari Yatra Public Protest’ outside the BJP headquarters at Nariman Point.

Police have recorded the statement, attached screenshots of the post, and initiated an investigation against the account holder and any unidentified individuals involved.

“We have registered an FIR and have started the probe. We have not named anyone as an accused yet. Our probe is on,” a senior police officer said.

The complaint states that the post was made to create fear and unrest. It was intended to deliberately create fear among the public, incite riots or public disorder and encourage offenses against public servants and disturb public peace and demanded strict legal action. The Maharashtra Congress has not commented on the FIR so far.

BJP spokesperson advocate Aniket Nikam filed the complaint against the official X handle of Mahrashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), over its post on September 28 that said, “The BJP should not test people’s patience. Or else as Gen Z has set the BJP office on fire in Leh, similar situation will arise across country.”

Taking serious objection over the post, BJP spokesperson filed a complaint at Marine Lines police station, where an FIR was filed later.
In a statement issued on Monday, Nikam demanded the post be pulled down and said, “By putting such content on its social media handle, Congress was trying to foment unrest in the country. It is to provoke people. Therefore, I have filed police complaint under Section 192 of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita 2023.”

Nikam told media persons, “The Congress is resorting to dangerous politics trying to disturb social harmony.”