Chhattisgarh headmaster arrested for speech ‘asking people not to believe in Hindu gods’

A video of the speech was later uploaded to YouTube, after which a Hindu right-wing activist named Rupesh Shukla approached the local police with a complaint. Shukla complained that the speech hurt the sentiments of the followers of Sanatan Dharma.

The headmaster of a school in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district was arrested on Sunday on charges of hurting religious sentiments after he gave a speech to a gathering of around 15 people, and allegedly asked them not to believe in Hindu gods.

Ratanlal Sarovar, 60, allegedly made the speech at Mohtarai village, under the jurisdiction of Ratanpur police station, on January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Addressing the gathered village residents, he named a number of Hindu gods and allegedly administered a pledge not to worship them. Instead, he asked those gathered to follow Buddhism.

A video of the speech was later uploaded to YouTube, after which a Hindu right-wing activist named Rupesh Shukla approached the local police with a complaint. Shukla complained that the speech hurt the sentiments of the followers of Sanatan Dharma.

Story continues below this ad

“In his statement, Sarovar told us he was asking people to follow the teachings of B R Ambedkar and that he is a Hindu, but believes in the teachings of Ambedkar,” a police officer said.

Following the incident, the district’s education department suspended Sarovar.

“Based on the complaint, an FIR has been registered against him under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class),” said Ratanpur police station in charge, inspector Devesh Singh Rathore.

Sarovar is currently in judicial custody.

-With inputs from PTI

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram