punjab

Updated: Jul 09, 2017 23:07 IST

Police have arrested Punjabi poet Surjit Gag for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a community by using derogatory language against first Sikh master Guru Nanak Dev in a poem he posted on his Facebook page.

A case under section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered on the complaint of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara manager Ranjit Singh.

The gurdwara management had brought the matter to the notice of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar who had sought police complaint against the poet.

Gag has remained in news for his controversial poems and he was expelled from the Zila Likhari Sabha, Rupnagar, some years back for his sarcastic poem against then ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal and its leaders.

Punjab Students Union state leader Ranbir Randhawa, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) leader Surjit Singh, CPI district secretary Davinder Nangli, Tarksheel Society leaders Jasmer Singh, Harnek Singh and Kuldeep Singh and Indian Federation of Trade Union (IFTU) leader Tarsem Jatpur have condemned Gag’s arrest.

They said the case against Gag was registered under political pressure it was an attempt to suppress freedom of expression of writers and poets. They demanded immediate release of the poet.