FIR against BJP MLA for 'provocative' rant outside Rajasthan mosque

JAIPUR: Jaipur's walled city area has been tense since Friday night over the alleged provocative sloganeering by BJP MLA Balmukundacharya and his supporters near Jama Masjid, while protesting against the Pahalgam massacre, reports Nitesh Kumar. Police lodged an FIR against the MLA on Friday night following a complaint lodged by the other side, but demands for his arrest have been raised.

The confrontation started after Balmukundacharya, along with about 60-70 supporters, allegedly raised inflammatory slogans outside Jama Masjid in Johari Bazaar during the namaz. The MLA and his supporters were subsequently booked on charges of hurting religious sentiments, attempting to incite violence and being part of an unlawful assembly.

The mosque management committee Saturday released CCTV footage, in which the MLA and his supporters are seen approaching the mosque stairs, pasting posters at its base of the stairs, stamping on them, and then raising anti-Pakistan slogans. Balmukundacharya said: "We pasted posters at public places, including temples, but we did not enter any mosque." Asserting his "right to raise slogans against Pakistan," the BJP legislator said he was sorry if his sloganeering had hurt sentiments. However, the MLA's actions sparked widespread protests on Friday, which continued on Saturday.