Kochi: A case has been registered against a YouTuber for making communal remarks in a video claiming that a cafe in Fort Kochi displayed a statue of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and served beef, police sources said on Saturday.
The Instagram video triggered widespread criticism in the society and invited sharp remarks from Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Fort Kochi police registered a case against Amrit Singh Darren, a YouTuber from Uttar Pradesh, under Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over the video shared through his Instagram account, sources in the state Home Minister’s office said.
In the video, Amrit Singh Darren showed that Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi had displayed an artwork that depicted figurines of both Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and he argued that it should not exist in India.
The blogger Amrit Singh also alleged that the state governments receive funding from Arab nations to convert Keralam into an Islamic state.
His claims sparked reactions on social media, which mostly criticised his act of spreading hate against the state of Kerala and its people.
According to the FIR, the accused allegedly knew that his actions could disturb public peace and lead to clashes between two religious communities. The video was posted around 6 am on October 22.
The FIR stated that the video claimed the cafe, named after Kashi, a place of religious significance to Hindus, served beef because Muslims lived in large numbers in the area.
The remarks made by Amrit Singh and the ensuing online reactions could create hatred and enmity between religious communities, the FIR said.
Meanwhile, the cafe owner said that it has nothing to do with the Indian city of Varanasi (also known as Kashi), and the restaurant was named after the Japanese word Kashi, which means sweets, pastry, confectionery.
While BNS Section 353(2) refers to statements conducing to public mischief, Section 192 refers to giving provocation with intent to cause a riot.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister V D Satheesan strongly condemned the video, asserting that Keralam stood united and had no place for communal hatred.
“The recent Instagram video by a vlogger from outside the state, attempting to spread misinformation about Fort Kochi, portray our state in a negative light, and divide communities, is unacceptable,” he said in a post on X.
A case has been registered and the law will take its course, Satheesan said, adding that the UDF government remained committed to communal harmony and justice without fear or favour.
“A new era for God’s Own Country. No room for hate. We will not allow anyone to even lay a finger on our communal harmony,” the CM added.
Earlier, senior CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister of the state Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the YouTuber’s remarks and urged the state government to take legal action against those spreading communal enmity.
In a post on X, Vijayan said Fort Kochi and Varkala were places where cultures met, histories intertwined and diversity thrived.
“Now, a vlogger peddling hate for profit seeks to paint these vibrant destinations in communal colours. Having failed to divide Keralam, the Sangh Parivar is outsourcing its hate campaign to online provocateurs. But Keralam’s secular spirit will not yield to their politics of hatred,” he said.
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