Saudi ambassador to UK voted MENA diplomat of 2025    Saudi Awwal Bank signs SR2 billion credit facility with Saudi Binladin Group to propel development of King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh    Feast of Flavors and Prizes: LuLu Hypermarket kicks off the "World Food Festival" across Saudi Arabia    Pakistan closes airspace, suspends visaas in tit-for-tat measures against India    Saudia Group signs deal with Airbus for flyadeal's first wide-body aircraft    Saudi non-oil exports surge 14.3 percent to SR26.11bn in February    Saudi, Greek ministers co-chair inaugural meeting of Strategic Culture Committee    Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 26, Palestinian officials say    Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China    Ministry of Justice launches centralized court model to enhance judicial efficiency    Kyiv hit by deadly Russian missile and drone attack    Saudi Arabia elected chair of Asia region of World Meteorological Organization    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Indian actor arrested for tweet on Karnataka hijab row judge
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 02 - 2022

An Indian actor has been arrested for tweeting against one of the judges hearing pleas against a ban on Muslim girls wearing hijabs in schools.
Chetan Kumar was arrested in the southern state of Karnataka after he criticized Justice Krishna Dixit.
The actor wondered why a judge, who has made "disturbing comments" in the past, was hearing the contentious matter.
He was referring to a 2020 order in which the judge had questioned the behavior of a woman who alleged rape.
Justice Dixit's comments were later deleted from the order after they resulted in outrage and were described as regressive.
Mr Kumar's arrest has sparked anger, with many questioning the police's motive.
A US citizen and a Fulbright scholar, Chetan Kumar is a firebrand Dalit (formerly known as untouchable) rights activist who has been involved in several anti-right wing protests in Karnataka.
Critics say he's often targeted for his social work - the actor is already facing two police complaints for his remarks against the Brahmin community, who are at the top of India's Hindu caste hierarchy.
On 16 February, Mr Kumar's tweet referred to a rape case in which Justice Dixit had granted anticipatory bail to the accused after observing that the woman's statement was "a bit difficult to believe".
"The explanation offered by her that after the perpetration of the act she was tired and fell asleep is unbecoming of an Indian woman," the judge had said in 2020, adding that it was "not the way our women react when they are ravished".
Sharing a screenshot of the observations, Mr Kumar wrote: "Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case. Now this same judge is determining whether hijabs are acceptable or not in government schools. Does he have the clarity required?"
Police in the city of Bangalore charged Mr Kumar with "intent to incite a class or community to commit offense" and "intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace", according to ANI news agency.
Police added that the actor would be produced before a judicial magistrate, but did not specify when.
Mr Kumar's wife Megha said in a live chat on Facebook that the actor "had gone missing from the house", according to The News Minute. "No one informed us [about his arrest], his phone is switched off, so is our gunman's [bodyguard]," she alleged.
Many expressed their anger over Mr Kumar's arrest.
Senior journalist Dilip Mandal asked why the actor was being punished for his comments.
Another social media user called the police action outrageous and said the country had "hit rock bottom" with Mr Kumar's arrest.
In India, criticism against the judiciary can often land you in jail. In 2021, the country's top investigative agency, the CBI, arrested five people for allegedly making derogatory posts on social media platforms against judges and the judiciary of a high court.
The country also has some of the world's strictest contempt of court laws. In 2020, prominent Indian lawyer and civil rights activist Prashant Bhushan was found guilty of contempt of court after the Supreme Court found two of his tweets derogatory. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.