Thiruvananthapuram: An FIR has been registered against former state minister and Kerala Congress(B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai on August 5, under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 253 a(deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) — for his alleged hate-speech in Pathanapuramat on July 31.
The minister landed in a soup after his alleged jibes at Muslims and Christians at a Nair Service Society (NSS) meeting — an organisation of the forward Hindu Nair community — were condemned. Several Muslims outfits sought strong action against him for hurting their religious sentiments and alleged that the speech was aimed at igniting communal tension in the society.
The minister had, on August 2, tendered an unconditional apology while addressing a press conference at his hometown in Pathanapuram in the Kollam district. He had said the audio and video that came in the media, were distorted and edited, and that there was a controversy. He alleged there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his speech by terming it anti-minority. He asserted he was not in the wrong.
"I am, however, tendering unconditional apology if my speech has hurt the sentiments of anybody," he had said. Pillai's son K B Ganeshkumar, the lone party MLA, had also apologised for his father's remark. The police had said proceedings would follow a thorough examination of the "controversial" speech.
Further investigations are underway. The recordings will be sent for forensic tests.
(With inputs from PTI)
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