Amid the controversy surrounding the arrest of comedian Kiku Sharda for mimicking self-styled Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Wednesday said that the action has been taken as per the law and no one will be unreasonable harassed over the issue.
Talking to mediapersons over the issue here, the Chief Minister said, “An FIR was registered in the case and action has been taken as per the law. The State Government has nothing to do with it. The law will take its own course… We respect Freedom of Speech and Expression as promised under the Constitution.”
“However, no one will be unreasonably harassed in the case,” said Khattar while reacting to the criticism his Government has attracted over the arrest of the actor.
Comedian Kiku Sharda, best known for his drag act as Palak in popular TV show Comedy Nights With Kapil, was on Wednesday arrested by Haryana police on a complaint alleging that he had hurt religious sentiments by mimicking Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
Kiku, 40, was sent to 14-day judicial custody after police produced him before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Nandita Kaushik in Haryana’s Kaithal district.
He was brought to Kaithal town in Haryana following his arrest by a Haryana Police team while he was shooting a new episode of the show in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.
A complaint was filed against him on January 1 for imitating the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head on a TV show, which aired on December 27.
The followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who belong to the dominant section in Haryana had registered the complaint against him for hurting their beliefs by insulting their cult leader. Although Kiku had apologized after being taken into custody, the followers have demanded action against him under sections 153 A, 153 B and section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (outraging religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief).
Notably, Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s outfit Dera Saccha Sauda (DSS) has a large number of members in Haryana. During the lok Sabha elections 2014 and the assembly polls held in the same year, the Godman had pledged his follower’s support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
After the arrest, Kiku had apologised and told the mediapersons, “I’m an artist who is given a role, a get-up and told what to do. I’ve already apologised, I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. I did not mean to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. I am sorry, I was just following a script. Usually, if an objectionable word comes out while performing, it’s edited by the channel. This is also channel’s responsibility.”
Earlier in December 2015, Kiku had apoligised via Twitter: “Doston the act on TV was not to hurt anyone’s feelings. My apologies to @Gurmeetram-rahimji and his followers. let’s spread happiness.”
The dera management has welcomed the arrest.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has condemned the arrest of Sharda, calling it breach of Freedom of Expression.