Maharashtra: FIR against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane for using ‘Dalit’ word in TV interview

A complaint against the Kankavli MLA Nitesh Rane was lodged by a lawyer last week

Mumbai: Navi Mumbai police in Maharashtra have registered an FIR against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane for allegedly using the word ‘Dalit’ while speaking to a news channel, an official said on Monday.

A complaint against the Kankavli MLA was lodged by a lawyer last week.

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The complainant came across a video of Nitesh Rane’s interview with a regional news channel on YouTube in which he used the word ‘Dalit’, whose usage is prohibited by the Centre government on August 7, 2018, the FIR stated.

The case was registered under sections 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 153 B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), and 295 A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said.

Police have also invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act. The offence was registered on orders of the court, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.