Several social media users called for police action against Waqar H Bhatti, a ‘human rights activist’ from Jammu and Kashmir who insulted the Shivling found in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi complex on Twitter. In a recent tweet, Waqar made a derogatory remark by comparing a fountain with Shivling and calling the followers of Hinduism ‘Gobar Bhakt.’ Waqar deleted the tweet following the outrage by social media users.
Following his tweet, social media users outraged with several of them asking for strict actions against him. A famous Twitter account Farrago Abdullah wrote, “I request @JmuKmrPolice to file a case against @WaqarHBhatti14 for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus. He is calling himself a “Human Right Activist”. This is how they are abusing Hindus in the disguise of “Activism”. #ArrestWaqarBhatti”
Another user Dr Sonam Sharma showed her anger by writing that such people have demeaned the name of Jammu & Kashmir by making fun of Gods.
Tagging the prominent authorities handles, a user wrote, “I request the Jammu and Kashmir Police to take action against such people at the earliest.”
In another tweet, Waqar Bhatti went defensive and stated that he did not make fun of the Shivling and target any religion as the matter is still in court.
In a subsequent tweet, he wrote, “I never ever disrespect any religion nor I will in my life because I respect every Religion. The people who are demanding FIR against me are actually doing Politics nothing else.”
Waqar was booked by the Madhya Pradesh Police in July 2018 for disturbing communal harmony. He was booked for allegedly disrupting social peace by sharing a video on Facebook. In the FIR filed at the Padav police station in the Gwalior district, Bhatti was accused of fostering hatred between various communities under Section 153A of the IPC.