Christian groups protest MLA Padalkar’s alleged inflammatory remarks

Members of the Pune Christian Forum, along with representatives from the broader Christian community, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday outside the Pune District Collector’s Office strongly condemning the alleged anti-religious remarks made by MLA Gopichand Padalkar.

According to a press note issued by the forum, the purported comments were made during a torch march held in Sangli (Kupwad) on June 17. Padalkar allegedly used provocative language targeting Christian religious leaders and announced monetary rewards ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 11 lakh for those who would carry out violent attacks against them. The forum described the remarks as deeply hurtful and a serious cause for concern.

Protestors demanded Padalkar’s immediate disqualification from his legislative post and called for a criminal case to be filed against him. The press note further called for legal action under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 192 (incitement to violence, rioting), Section 198 (disrespect by a public servant towards the law), Section 111 (abetment of criminal acts), and Section 302 (encouragement to commit murder).
The forum also demanded strict action against any form of hate speech.

Kivi Lydia Vito is an intern with the Indian Express.