Gandhinagar, Feb 13: Four persons were arrested for allegedly attacking a Dalit bridegroom for riding a horse as part of his wedding procession in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district, police said Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at Chadasana village when the accused persons also hurled casteist abuses at the Dalit groom Vikas Chavda when he was riding a horse as part of his wedding procession, a Mansa police station official said.
The groom was riding a horse in a procession with around 100 participants and was on the way to the bride's house in the village when a man on a motorcycle intercepted and dragged him down from the horse and slapped him, said a complaint filed by the groom's cousin Sanjay Chavda.
The accused person also hurled casteist slurs at the groom, objecting to him riding the horse by saying that only members of his community can ride a horse, it said.
Three more persons joined him and all four started abusing and threatening the victim, the complainant stated in the FIR. The groom was compelled to ride a four-wheeler to the bride's house for their wedding, it said.
The four arrested are Sailesh Thakore, Jayesh Thakore, Samir Thakore and Ashwin Thakore. All the four belong to the OBC community.
All the four accused persons were arrested, the police official said.
They were booked under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 114 (abettor present when offence committed), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and relevant sections of the SC/ST ((Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said the government is ready to provide any clarification to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Prevention Bill awaiting his assent.
"We have already informed the Governor and have provided him with all kinds of explanations. If he seeks more clarification, then we will give that to him," Parameshwara told reporters here.
Explaining the bill, the minister said this is a bill that has been brought with foresight.
"It is against those who create confusion in society by making unwanted statements. Plus, there are fallouts of such statements. It impacts society. Hence, we brought the bill after discussing it extensively," he added.
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The minister said that while presenting the bill in the Assembly, he had explained it.
"The opposition BJP had opposed the bill. We have sent it to the Governor to pass it. He can ask for any clarification. We are ready to answer them," Parameshwara said.
According to the bill, any expression, which is made, published or circulated in words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication or otherwise, in public view, with an intention to cause injury, disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against person alive or dead, class or group of persons or community, to meet any prejudicial interest, is hate speech.
The bill has a provision for a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and a jail term of up to seven years.
