New Delhi: Amid nationwide outrage over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, activists from Youth for Panun Kashmir and Roots in Kashmir have filed a police complaint against Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Member of Parliament from Srinagar, accusing him of making “seditious and inflammatory” statements that allegedly incited violence against Indian tourists.ย ย
The police complaint, lodged with the Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell, cites a recent interview in which Ruhullah referred to Indian tourists as “Cultural Invaders.” The activists claim the remark was a deliberate provocation that preceded the deadly terrorist strike in Pahalgam.ย ย
Words That Fueled Bloodshedย
Vithal Chaudhary, President of Youth for Panun Kashmir, asserted, “This was not an offhand comment but an ideological justification for violence. Ruhullahโs statement provided moral sanction to terrorists who carried out the massacre.”
Amit Raina of Roots in Kashmir accused the MP of “instigating terrorists to target tourists based on religion,”* drawing parallels to the hate speech that preceded the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.ย ย
Legal Action Under Anti-Terror Laws
The complaint invokes multiple legal provisions, including:ย ย
– Sections 113, 150, 161, and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 (pertaining to sedition and incitement to violence).ย ย
– Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged terror links.ย ย
– Representation of the People Act for misconduct by an elected representative.ย ย
– IT Act for spreading hate speech online.ย ย
The activists have demanded Ruhullahโs immediate arrest.
