In a recent interview with Newslaundry, Sudarshan TV Editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke claimed he had more FIRs registered than mafia gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
“This is the 1,827th FIR against me even if I get booked 18,000 times for raising the voice of Hindus, I will continue to do so,” he boasted.
Chavhanke was referring to an FIR registered by the Sangamner police in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district on Thursday.
On June 6, Chavhanke delivered a communal speech at a rally organised by the Hindutva group called Sakal Hindu Samaj. The rally was attended by approximately 18,000 people.
The right-wing TV anchor claimed to have received a WhatsApp message where a Muslim man expressed displeasure at Chavhanke’s presence and “escalating local issues internationally.”
The Sudarshan Editor-in-Chief went on to claim that Sangamner was “beginning to look like Pakistan”.
He also brought up the topic of ‘love jihad’, suggesting that Muslim women should marry Hindu men for freedom from the Hijab and other perceived advantages.
Following his speech, stone pelting incident was reported in which two people were injured, and five vehicles were vandalized during the rally. Seventeen people were arrested.
According to a police officer based on the video recording of the speeches, an FIR under section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) 34 (common intention) and 506(II) (public mischief at a place of worship) was registered against Chavhanke and Bajrang Dal members Yogesh Suryavanshi and Vishal Vakchaure.
However, Chavhanke, in his interview with Newslaundry maintains his speeches are not inflammatory and no major incidents of hate ever followed.
He also faces at least two more cases in Maharashtra related to hate speeches at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. However, he has never been arrested once.
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