Hundreds of residents staged a flash protest in front of the Doddaballapur town police station on Tuesday, seeking action against a government PU college lecturer for reportedly making objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
T R Rame Gowda, the sociology lecturer, had made the remarks during a class on Hindu, Muslim Marriage Acts on Monday. Four girls had raised objections to Gowda’s observations and walked out of the class. They had informed their elders about the incident. The police registered a case against Gowda under Section 153A of the IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and arrested him based on a complaint by the Muslim Youth Association. However, Gowda obtained bail.
Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait, who was in the city for a function, rushed to the station and pacified the protesters. He said that a departmental enquiry would be ordered against Gowda. The Hindu Jagarana Vedike has opposed the arrest of the lecturer. “The police arrested Gowda based on the claims of four students. The police did not question the other 90 students who were in the class. Sait forced the police to register a case,” Vedike leader Amarnath said.