Sharing a spoof by youngsters on WhatsApp has turned into a nightmare. According to HT, five students on Saturday were detained by Bangalore city police’s central crime branch for allegedly circulating anti-Narendra Modi messages on messaging app WhatsApp.
All the five youngsters hail from Bhatkal in Karnataka. Four of them were released on Sunday but 25-year-old and Aam Aadmi Party activist continues to be in police custody. Waqas, son of noted Bhatkal-based Nawaithi and Urdu poet Samiullah Barmawar has been now taken to Khanapur in Belgaum for questioning.
The image that has got Waqas into trouble shows a corpse morphed with Modi’s face. Spoofing the BJP election slogan “Abki Bar Modi Sarkar”, the image runs with the headline “Abki Baar antim sanskaar.” The image was doing the rounds on a few WhatsApp groups administered by AAP activists but it was also accidentally forwarded to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter in Belgaum and he complained to the police.
AAP activists - who are insisting the image is a political satire - are now planning to hold state-wide protests.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Waqas comes close on the heels to the news of Devu Chodankar, a young Goan ship building professional who could be well behind bars after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea recently for his Facebook post that slams the would be PM of India – Narendra Modi.
With the case of Chodankar picking up pace in the media, Manohar Parrikar, CM of the BJP led government in Goa, has used Twitter to clarify that his government has no role in the case.
A prominent citizen complained about a Facebook post, which was registered as per SC guidelines by the police.
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) May 24, 2022
Anticipatory bail was rejected by court as per evidence & Govt. has no role.
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) May 24, 2022
Contrary to the propaganda the person has not appeared before police after being summoned twice. — Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) May 24, 2022
