The Bhim Army, a group of Dalit rights activists, submitted an application to the Oshiwara police station last week to file an FIR against Rakhi Sawant under the SC/ST Atrocities Act for her remarks on Tanushree Dutta-Nana Patekar controversy where Dutta has accused Patekar of sexual misconduct against her in 2008. Sawant, who had replaced Dutta in the song when the controversy erupted in 2008, had reportedly threatened to thrash Dutta. Nitin Satpute, Dutta’s lawyer wants to file a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.
Meanwhile, from media reports, it is not clear whether the SC/ST Atrocities Act is invoked because of Rakhi’s comments on Dutta, who earlier had a ‘spiritual encounter’ with Jesus Christ, or it is related to Satpute, who represents the Dalit outfit.
This is not the first time Sawant has ‘hurt religious sentiments‘. In April 2017, when Rakhi had retold the widely known story of Maharishi Valmiki, where the dacoit had reformed and become a sage and then wrote the Ramayana, some people belonging to the Valmiki community took an offence. The Punjab Police had even issued an arrest warrant against her.
The Bhim Army has also been often surrounded by controversies. In May this year, six Bhim Army supporters were arrested in a plan to kill an MLA to create caste unrest. The Bhim Army founder, Chandrashekhar, was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) for his alleged involvement in the Saharanpur riots on 8th June 2017.
Meanwhile, Rakhi Sawant has filed a Rs. 50 crore defamation case against Dutta, accusing her of raping her. Addressing a press conference, Sawant has claimed that Dutta is a lesbian and touched her inappropriately years ago.
“Woh LESBIAN hai aur usne mera RAPE kia: “ #RakhiSawant ’s SHOCKING claims about #TanushreeDutta pic.twitter.com/qWrUOHPDqn
— Bollywood Hungama (@Bollyhungama) October 24, 2018
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