Police in Amritsar registered a case late on Tuesday night against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Ashish Khetan for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
The case, registered under Section 295-A (hurting religious sentiments) at the Civil Lines police station, came after Khetan allegedly equated a party manifesto for upcoming Punjab elections with Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the religious scripture of Sikhs.
The AAP is seen as a strong contender in the 2017 state elections, hoping to expand its base beyond Delhi where it got a decisive mandate in last year’s assembly polls.
In Punjab, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is up against the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and the Congress.
“We registered the case against the AAP leader after a complaint was given by Karnail Singh Peermohammad of the All India Sikh Students Federation. The case was registered late last night,” additional deputy commissioner of police Gaurav Garg said.
Khetan has already apologised, saying he had no intentions of hurting anyone’s sentiments and promised to change the manifesto cover that had the AAP symbol, the broom, on the photo of the Golden Temple, a famous Sikh shrine.
This is the second instance of police action against the AAP functionaries in recent times in Punjab.
AAP legislator Naresh Yadav has been questioned in the June 24 Quran sacrilege in Malerkotla in Sangrur district, with Delhi chief minister Kejriwal saying some forces were working to divide the country on communal lines.
Tensions flared in the holy Islamic month of Ramzan as news spread that torn pages Quran were found in a drain in front of the cemetery.
The main accused, Vijay Kumar of Jind in Haryana, claimed he did it at the behest of the AAP’s Delhi MLA Yadav, who was his “friend”.
For his part, Yadav alleged that a “restless” SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab was hatching conspiracies.