U’khand BJP leader booked for trying to disrupt communal harmony

Pauri (Uttarakhand), Oct 6 (PTI) BJP leader Lakhpat Singh Bhandari has been booked here for allegedly trying to disrupt communal harmony with his "objectionable” remarks on 'love jihad', police said on Sunday.
     While addressing an event in Srinagar on October 2, the party's Pauri Garhwal unit vice-president allegedly made comments warning people of a particular community to stay away from 'love jihad' or their "eyes would be gouged out and shops burned down".
     BJP state unit media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said his party does not support such statements, but attempts to spoil the atmosphere in the name of 'love jihad' and 'land jihad' in the state will not be allowed to succeed.
     A video of Bhandari's speech went viral on social media, however, it has now been taken down.
     While talking to PTI on Sunday, Bhandari said that he had made the statement addressing the police.
     He claimed that he went to Srinagar Police Station a couple of times regarding 'love jihad' cases but no action was taken.
     "Now if anyone even raises his eyes or hands towards our daughter, we will gouge out their eyes and chop off their hands but not come to the police station," he said.
     Bhandari said "outsiders are polluting" the peace here and trapping our daughters in love jihad by hiding their name and identity.
     Taking cognizance of the video, the police have registered a case against Bhandari for trying to disrupt peace and harmony between communities, Srinagar Police Station Inspector Manibhushan Srivastava said.    
     Bhandari has been booked under BNS sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, caste, etc. and disturbing harmony) and 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)