AAP leaders booked for hurting Christian sentiments

Delhi Police have registered an FIR against senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjay Jha, and Adil Ahmad Khan for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of the Christian community by using the image of Santa Claus in a “derogatory manner” in a political skit.

The case was registered at Connaught Place police station after advocate Khushbu George alleged that a video, shared from the leaders’ official social media accounts on December 17 and 18, depicted Santa Claus in an insulting manner.

Police said the video was part of a political skit performed in Connaught Place during the Christmas season.

In her complaint, the complainant stated that Santa Claus, regarded as a sacred cultural and religious symbol linked to St Nicholas and the spirit of Christmas, was portrayed as lying unconscious on a road and being used merely as a prop to deliver a political message.

She alleged that in one scene, the character was shown being given “mock CPR, which she said amounted to ridicule of a symbol deeply revered by Christians.

Police officials stated that the FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with acts intended to outrage religious feelings and disturb public harmony.

“The complaint alleges deliberate and malicious intent to insult a religious symbol at a sensitive time. We are examining the video content, social media posts, and other digital evidence,“ a senior police officer said.

The FIR records that the alleged act took place during the final days of Advent, a period considered sacred by Christians in the run-up to Christmas.

The complainant argued that releasing such content at this time showed disregard for religious sentiments and was aimed at drawing political mileage by trivialising a holy symbol.

Responding to the FIR, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit back on the social media platform X, calling the police action politically motivated and an attempt to silence dissent. He said the skit was meant to draw attention to pollution and governance issues and not to hurt any religious community.

“Thanks to social media and people’s collective strength, the BJP Government is troubled today. This is the power of social media: that the Government is being forced to respond to pollution and AQI,” Bharadwaj wrote.

He claimed that the Santa Claus skit helped take the pollution issue “to every single person, causing discomfort to both the Delhi and Central governments.

Bharadwaj alleged that the FIR was part of a broader pattern of intimidation. “There is a round of threats, ED, CBI, and Delhi Police FIRs. The propaganda is being exposed, so they are scared, “he said. The complaint further states that Santa Claus was not shown in a respectful or symbolic manner but was reduced to a caricature for political satire. This, it alleges, caused “deep hurt, anguish, and outrage” among members of the Christian community, many of whom expressed anger after the video circulated widely on social media.

Delhi Police said they have begun a preliminary inquiry and will record statements of witnesses, including the complainant.

The creators and performers involved in the skit may also be questioned. “At this stage, we are verifying facts and intent. Further legal action will depend on the findings of the investigation,” the officer added.

The controversy has triggered sharp reactions on social media, with some users accusing political parties of dragging religious symbols into partisan politics, while others defended the skit as political satire. Christian groups, however, said satire should not cross the line into mockery of faith. Police officials said the investigation is ongoing and assured that due process will be followed.