Music composer and Aam Aadmi Party supporter Vishal Dadlani and Robert Vadra’s relative Tehseen Poonawalla have been fined Rs 10 lakh each for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of the Jain community by their tweets on Jain monk Tarun Sagar.
In August 2016, Dadlani had tweeted his displeasure at the ‘colossal idiocy’ of ‘some naked monk’ addressing the Haryana assembly.
People actually trying to defend the colossal idiocy of some naked monk, addressing Haryana assembly, telling women how to live! UNREAL! (2)
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) August 27, 2016
His tweets did not go down well with the Jain community and to damage control, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain had to tweet apologies on behalf of Dadlani.
Tarun Sagar ji Maharaj is a very reverred saint, not just for jains but everyone. Those showing disrespect is unfortunate and shud stop
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 27, 2016
I apologise for hurting feelings of Jain community by my friend @VishalDadlani. I seek kshama from Muni Shri Tarun Sagar ji Maharaj.
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) August 27, 2016
Congress supporter and Robert Vadra’s relative Tehseen Poonawalla had also made offensive remarks on the Jain monk.
Tarun Sagar was a Jain monk of the Digambar community and these monks do not wear clothes. He had addressed the Haryana Assembly when the duo made these offensive remarks.
The duo was booked by the Haryana Police in August 2016 and a case was registered “for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and other offences” under Sections 295-A, 153-A and 509 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) at Ambala Cantonment police station.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, however, quashed the FIR on condition that both will first pay up Rs 10 lakh as fine. The High Court said that the fine was imposed to send a message that no one can mock the heads of religious sects.
