Kannada actor Chetan Kumar arrested for objectionable tweet on Hindutva

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

Bengaluru, Mar 21, 2023: Kannada actor Chetan Kumar, popularly known as Chetan Ahimsa, has been arrested by Bengaluru police after his tweet on Hindutva went viral. The complaint against him stated that his tweet, which says that "Hindutva is built on lies", allegedly hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

He was taken into custody by the Sheshadripuram police in Bengaluru. The actor, who is also a Dalit and tribal activist, has been produced at a district court.

He faces charges of insulting a religion or religious beliefs and making statements that promote enmity between classes.

In a tweet on March 20, Mr Kumar claimed that Hindutva is built on lies.
"Savarkar: Indian ’nation’ began when Rama defeated Ravana & returned to Ayodhya —> a lie
1992: Babri Masjid is ’birthplace of Rama’ —> a lie
2023: Urigowda-Nanjegowda are ’killers’ of Tipu—> a lie," he said in the tweet.

The actor said that Hindutva can only be defeated by truth.

Hindutva is built on LIES

Savarkar: Indian ‘nation’ began when Rama defeated Ravana & returned to Ayodhya —> a lie

1992: Babri Masjid is ‘birthplace of Rama’ —> a lie

2023: Urigowda-Nanjegowda are ‘killers’ of Tipu—> a lie

Hindutva can be defeated by TRUTH—> truth is EQUALITY

— Chetan Kumar Ahimsa / ಚೇತನ್ ಅಹಿಂಸಾ (@ChetanAhimsa) March 20, 2023

Hours after he put out the tweet, pro-Hindu organisations filed a complaint against him and an FIR was registered at the Sheshadripuram police station.

This is not the actor’s first run-in with the law. In February 2022, he was arrested for an objectionable tweet on Karnataka High Court Justice Krishna Dixit, who was then hearing the hijab case.