Delhi Police, on Christmas Day, registered an FIR against AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, and Adil Ahmed Khan on charges of hurting religious sentiments.
The case was lodged on Thursday over a political skit which shows Santa Claus fainting due to the air pollution crisis in Delhi.
According to the complaint submitted by advocate Khushboo George, the three leaders named in the FIR, on 17 and 18 December, posted the video of the skit from their official social media accounts. It also called for the resignation of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta.
What does the video show?
On 17 November, Bharadwaj posted a video on X in which he is heard announcing that the Air Quality Index (AQI) at Connaught Place had touched 376. Moments after the remark, the clip shows a man dressed as Santa Claus dramatically collapsing to the ground as passers-by look on.
Reacting to the moment, Bharadwaj is heard joking in Hindi, “Oh my God, 376 sunke Santa behosh ho gaye (Santa fainted hearing that the AQI has hit 376).”
What are the charges against AAP leaders?
According to ANI, the complainant alleged that the skit outrages the religious feelings of the Christian community as Santa Claus was a "revered religious and cultural icon".
In her complaint, George claimed that according to the video, people dressed as Santa Claus are allegedly shown fainting and collapsing on the road and being used as props for political messaging.
She argued that Santa Claus — a respected religious and cultural symbol for Christians around the world, closely linked to the legacy of Saint Nicholas and the Christmas season — was mocked and depicted in a 'derogatory' manner.
The complainant further alleged that the visuals showed mock CPR being performed on man dressed as Santa Claus, which she claimed “amounted to ridicule of a religious symbol during the final days of (month of) Advent, just ahead of Christmas celebrations”.
A case has been registered under the following sections of BNS:
- 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs),
- 302 (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person),
- and 3 (5) (joint liability) of the BNS has been registered on December 25.
Delhi AQI today
On Christmas Day, Delhi breathed slightly easier for the second consecutive day, with the air quality improving to the 'poor' category and an AQI of 234 recorded.
Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI), on Thursday, stood at 234 at 4 PM, remaining in the 'poor' category, compared to 271 recorded at the same time a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
