Congress leader Ramkrishna Jalmi has been arrested by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Lord Parshuram. The anti-CAA activist had made derogatory remarks against the Hindu God at a rally in Goa. Jalmi, a Congress candidate from Priol in the Goa Assembly Elections in 2017, was arrested after a complaint was filed by Mapusa-based Hindu Yuva Sena.

Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Pankaj Kumar said that Jalmi was arrested under sections 295 (A) and 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for hurting religious sentiments. The rally was organised by various bodies including the Centre for Social Peace and Justice (CSJP) backed by the Goa Church, in Benaulim village. “He was arrested for derogatory utterances,” Kumar said.

A video had gone viral on social media where the Congress leader can be reportedly heard making derogatory remarks about Lord Parshuram. Another complaint filed by one Gaurang Prabhu Malkarneker alleged that Jalmi has also made casteist remarks thereby promoting enmity and also prejudicing harmony, which attracts section 153A of IPC.

“Lord Parshuram who is the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu greatly revered and worshipped by the Hindu community. Jalmi had termed Lord Parshuram a terrorist and a rapist thereby causing great anger among the members of the Hindu community,” Hindu Yuva Sena said. “It may also be noted that members of the Hindu community are hurt and angered and are expressing their sentiments on various platforms against the said speech. To prevent any communal tension in the State, FIR must be registered,” it added.

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The Congress party has regularly indulged in Hinduphobic rhetoric in recent years. During the Lok Sabha elections last year, the party had released a video that denigrated Hindu religious symbols. In the past, the party has also denied the existence of Prabhu Ram.