Assistant Professor of Assam University, Anindya Sen, booked for alleged derogatory Facebook post on Ram

The Assam Police has booked Assistant Professor of Assam University, Anindya Sen, for his alleged derogatory Facebook post against the deity Ram. Sen teaches Literature and Theory at the Department of English, Assam University, Silchar.

Sen was booked under Sections 294 (obscene acts or words in public), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts to outrage religious feelings) and 501 (printing or engraving matters known to be defamatory) of the Indian Penal Code.

Cachar Superintendent of Police, BL Meena, was quoted in reports confirming that a complaint had been filed and the matter would be investigated into. A case was filed against Sen on August 8 after a complaint made by Rohit Chanda, who identified himself as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On August 5, the day of the “Bhumi Poojan” of the Ram Temple was held in Ayodhya, Sen wrote an imaginary conversation on his Facebook post that made sarcastic comments on the deity. According to the FIR, “He also continuously posts such abusive posts defaming Hindu dharma and also abuses constitutional posts like Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country”.

Sen told The Bengal Story, that “The Ramayana is an epic and there are various versions, and in many versions it has been mentioned that Ram had deserted Sita, and has been criticised for it. I have just pointed that out. If, by pointing that out, I have hurt someone, then I apologise for it”. Sen said that the police had not yet contacted him, and he had heard about it from various sources and the media that an FIR had been filed against him.