FIR against Congress corporators in Indore over Vande Mataram refusal

Police in Indore have registered an FIR against two Congress corporators for allegedly disturbing communal harmony by refusing to sing Vande Mataram during a municipal session. The case was filed after a complaint and a preliminary probe into the incident

Indore: Police registered a case against two women corporators of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on Wednesday on the charge of disturbing communal harmony for their refusal to sing the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, an official said.

During the Indore Municipal Corporation’s budget session on April 8, Congress corporator Fauzia Sheikh Alim refused to sing ‘Vande Mataram’, citing Islamic beliefs.

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Another corporator, Rubina Iqbal Khan, who joined the Congress after winning the civic election as an independent candidate, also supported Fauzia’s stance and refused to sing the national song.

Talking to PTI, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Amarendra Singh said that, following a probe into a complaint, a case has been registered against Fauzia and Rubina at the M G Road police station under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony between different communities).

Police summoned both the corporators for questioning over the past two days and recorded their statements, he said.

“Finally, finding the case prima facie cognisable, we have registered an FIR and initiated a detailed investigation,” Singh said.