MP police register FIR against Digvijaya Singh for post on Golwalkar

The Madhya Pradesh Police have registered a case against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh for allegedly sharing a controversial post on former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief MS Golwalkar on social media, an official said on Sunday (July 9).

Following a complaint filed by local lawyer and RSS worker Rajesh Joshi, the FIR was registered on Saturday (July 9) night against Singh under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code, said the official from Tukoganj Police Station in Indore.

In his complaint, Joshi alleged that Singh had shared a controversial poster on Facebook bearing the name and picture of “Guruji’ (as Golwalkar was popularly known) to incite people by creating conflict among Dalits, backward classes, Muslims and Hindus, as per the FIR. The complaint claimed Singh’s Facebook post on Golwalkar allegedly hurt the religious beliefs of Sangh workers and the entire Hindu community, according to the FIR.

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In a statement sent to the media, a local Sangh official alleged that Singh had made a “false and unwarranted post” about Golwalkar on social media to tarnish the organisation’s image. Singh on July 9 tweeted a picture of a page carrying several controversial comments attributed to the former RSS head. Golwalkar was quoted as saying that he would rather live under the British rule than have equal rights given to Dalits, backwards and Muslims. Some other controversial comments were also attributed to him.

Following the post, senior RSS functionary and its publicity department head Sunil Ambekar accused the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister of posting a “photoshopped” image.It is baseless and is meant to cause social disharmony, he said, adding that Guruji never made such remarks. His life was spent removing social discrimination, he added.

Golwalkar was the longest serving RSS chief and was at the helm of the organisation from 1940–73.

(With inputs from agencies)