Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq was booked for sedition on Wednesday for his controversial remarks defending the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
He was charged with Sections 124A (Sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between groups), and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The FIR was filed following BJP leader Rajesh Singhal’s complaint.
“The complainant Rajesh Singhal has filed a complaint alleging that Shafiqur Rahman Barq, during a press conference, compared the Taliban terrorists to India’s freedom fighters,” Sambhal SP Chakresh Mishra told Business Standard.
“Taliban has been declared a terrorist organization by the Indian government. These statements come under sedition. The police will take strict actions against the people making such statements,” Mishra said.
Barq on Tuesday equated Indian freedom fighters to Taliban, during an interview with ANI. He said, “When India was under British rule, our country fought for freedom. Now Taliban wants to free their country and run it. Taliban is a force that did not allow even strong countries like Russia and US to settle in their country.”
Two other people have also been booked under sedition. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya slammed Barq for the remarks saying “The Samajwadi Party can say anything if such a statement has come from the SP on the Taliban, then what is the difference between Imran Khan and the leaders of the SP. “
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