Kannada actor Chetan Ahimsa was arrested in Bengaluru on Tuesday on charges of hurting Hindu sentiments via his latest tweet that said, “Hindutva is built on lies”.
He was arrested this morning by the Sheshadripuram police and produced before the district court.
On Monday, he tweeted and shared, “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”
Soon after, a complaint was registered against the actor and he was arrested.
The 39-year-old actor is also a Dalit and tribal activist.
In the past, he has found himself in the bad books of far-right Hindutva elements by posting statements on social media that do not cater to the latter’s ideology.
On February 23, 2022, the actor was arrested for his alleged comments against Karnataka High Court judge Justice Krishna Dixit. Dixit was a part of the bench that upheld the Bommai government’s decision to ban the hijab from government educational institutions.
On February 16, 2022, Chetan re-tweeted one of his old tweets about Dixit who had granted pre-arrest bail to an alleged rape accused.
He said, “This week KA (Karnataka) High Court Justice Krishna Dixit grantd (granted) pre-arrest bail to rape-accused Rakesh B claiming ‘it is unbecoming of Indian woman to sleep after rape; that is not way women react when they are ravished.’ What’s ‘unbecoming’ is 21st c (century) misogyny of this judiciary Dixit fossil.”
On October 23, 2022, an FIR was lodged against him for calling out the hit movie Kantara’s director/actor Rishab Shetty for speaking wrong information regarding ‘Bhoota Kola’, a tradition depicted in the movie.
Shetty, in an interview, had termed ‘Boota Kala‘ as a part of Hindu culture. “The gods in Kantara are all part of our tradition and it is indeed a part of Hindu culture and rituals. Because I am a Hindu, I have belief and respect for my religion. What we have said is through the element that is present in Hindu dharma,” Shetty stated in an interview.
In response, Chetan tweeted that though he was glad that a Kannada movie is being a major hit nationwide, Shetty was wrong about ‘Boota Kola’ being a part of Hindu culture.
Chetan tweeted, “Glad our Kannada film ‘Kantara’ is making waves on a national level. Director Rishabh Shetty claims Bhoota Kola is ‘Hindu culture’. False. Our Pambada/Nalike/Parawa’s Bahujan traditions predate Vedic-Brahminical Hinduism. We ask that Moolnivasi cultures be shown w/truth on & off screen.”
The tweet enraged many Hindutva leaders who trolled the actor mercilessly, and Chetan had to call a press conference to make his statements clear.
“It is wrong to say that ‘Bhoota Kola’ is part of the Hindu religion. Adivasis practice the ritual and there is no ‘Brahminism’ in Bhoota Kola. Don’t say Hindu in the movie. It is the culture of the Adivasis. It is unfair to put Adivasi culture in the column of Hindu religion,” he told reporters.
