VHP, Bajrang Dal Lodge Complaint Over Alleged Anti-Hindu Posts on Facebook ;

Organisations urge Khordha Cyber Police to verify online content and take action as per law

Dillip Kumar Pattnaik

KHORDHA, OCTOBER 23:-The Khordha district units of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal have approached the Khordha Cyber Police, alleging that certain Facebook posts contained derogatory remarks about Hinduism, Hindu deities and religious beliefs. The organisations have sought an impartial investigation and appropriate legal action if the allegations are established.
S.M. Dibya Prakash, co-coordinator of the Khordha district unit of the Bajrang Dal, submitted a written complaint to the officer-in-charge of the cyber police station, alleging that objectionable comments had been published on a Facebook account identified in the complaint as belonging to Kulamani Patra.
According to the complainant, the alleged remarks could hurt the religious sentiments of members of the Hindu community and potentially affect social harmony. The organisations have urged the police to examine the content objectively and ascertain whether any offence has been committed under the relevant provisions of law.

The complaint reportedly includes screenshots of the allegedly objectionable posts, links to the Facebook account and other available material for verification. The complainant has requested the cyber police to establish the authenticity of the posts, examine the circumstances surrounding their publication and take necessary steps to identify the person responsible, if warranted by the evidence.
The organisations have also urged the authorities to obtain relevant information from the social media platform through established legal procedures, if required, as part of the investigation.
The VHP and Bajrang Dal have called for appropriate legal action if the allegations are substantiated. They have also emphasised the importance of responsible use of social media, particularly when content concerns religious beliefs, deities and cultural traditions.
The complaint has once again brought attention to the challenges of addressing potentially offensive online content while upholding freedom of expression and the rule of law. Any allegation of unlawful content requires careful scrutiny, supported by verifiable evidence, rather than conclusions based solely on claims made by the complainant.
The police investigation will be crucial in determining the authenticity and context of the alleged posts and whether they violate any applicable law. The allegations against the Facebook account holder remain unverified, and no conclusion regarding legal liability can be drawn until the matter is examined by the competent authorities.