In a shocking turn of events, a legal complaint has been filed by Maharashtra Government against Sameet Thakkar, a resident of Nagpur, for calling Aditya Thackeray a Penguin. A case has been registered for obscenity and defamation, for his alleged derogatory tweets against Aditya Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
On July 1, Thakkar shared a photo on Twitter, allegedly referring to Aditya as ‘Mohammad Azam Shaha of Maharashtra as known as Baby Penguin’ and to the CM as a ‘Modern day Aurangazeb’. As per the complaint, Thakkar also tweeted against Shivsena Leader Sanjay Raut.
The so called objectionable posts shared by Thakkar, who has over 42,700 followers Twitter and those posts were viewed, liked and shared by thousands of Twitterati.
Mumbai-based advocate Dharmendra Mishra, who is also legal consultant for Shiv Sena, saw these posts and registered a legal complaint against Thakkar. Another 21-year-old city-based woman also approached the police and lodged an FIR as she found Thakkar’s posts vulgar and obscene.
In his defense, Thakkar said, “I have just used strong language which is not unconstitutional in any manner. If my posts were abusive why has Twitter not taken them down? I just used my democratic rights to criticize the government. When VP Road police officers contacted me I told them that I would be able to visit the police station later as the lockdown is in effect and I sent my statement to the commissioner of police and DCP through email.”
Thakkar posted this statement on his Twitter account
Maharashtra Government curbing the voice of citizens
Here we would like to add that on May 23rd, the Mumbai police commissioner issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC, valid through 00.15 hours on 25th May 2020 and ending at 24 hours on 8th June 2020, prohibiting any kind of ‘online hate’ on various social media platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc.
This order also indirectly bans all criticism of the Maharashtra government led by Uddhhav Thackeray as one of the clauses in the prohibitory order says that messages that incite “mistrust towards government functionaries and their actions taken to control Covid-19” will also be acted against, and since then Maharashtra Government has taken legal actions against hundreds of people, because they exposed the immaturity, incompetency and unprofessional behavior of Maharashtra Government.
In a way or other Maharashtra Government is using its might to curb the freedom of expression of Citizens.
Double Standards of Thackeray
However in this case we have also observed that such words have been used against Aditya Thackeray even by their Alliance partners, like NCP, but they never tried to raise any sort of objections.
Here is an example, in this poster, NCP is calling Aditya Thackeray, but Shivsena is in alliance with the same party,hence no objections and no actions.
And this is not the only instance, see the below one, here NCP is openly shaming Aditya and Uddhav Thackeray, but as they are in alliance, hence no problems.
Calling PM Modi ‘Afzal’ is OK for Shivsena??
But the moment a common citizen writes something against them, Maharashtra Government engage their entire machinery to defame them and take them legally. Today Sameet called Thackrey Afjal and Maharashtra Government is taking a legal action, but few years back Uddhav Thackeray called PM Modi Afjal, but no body took any offence. Why so much dual standards Mr. Thackeray?
Social Media coming hard on Thackreys and Shivsena
However, people on Social media are leaving no opportunity to sham the Maharastra Government and Shivsena on this selective hounding of Sameer Thakkar, people have given some amazing reactions.
Here we would like to say, that Freedom of Expression should be preserved by all the governments, and Political parties and Governments cant be absolved of any sort of criticism, its a public life and one has to be condemned or criticized for their non-competency. Governments should never initiate legal actions against a common man, that too for expressing humour.
Such shortsighted action only invites barrage of criticism and public shaming, which is what happening with Maharashtra Government at this point of time. The irony is, all these people say that ‘Modi is a Fascist or Hitler’, they cant digest such small criticism.
