Lok Sabha Polls: FIR Against Salman Khurshid and Maria Alam Khan

New Delhi: In a significant development, an FIR has been lodged against Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Maria Alam Khan in Uttar Pradesh. The First Information Report was filed under sections 188 and 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Kayamganj Police Station in Fatehgarh district. The FIR alleges that both Khurshid and Khan solicited votes on religious lines, a violation of electoral norms. Section 188 of the IPC pertains to disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant, while section 295A deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

What is the controversy? 

During a public gathering, Maria Alam Khan, the niece of Salman Khurshid, appealed to people for ‘jihad for votes’ to remove the Modi government. She expressed frustration over some members of the community supporting Mukesh Rajput, the BJP candidate from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency.

"Let us unite and vote in silence and in large numbers. Our only recourse to remove this government is to engage in a 'jihad for votes'," Maria implored the audience, condemning Muslim individuals who organized a public meeting for BJP's Mukesh Rajput. “They must be punished for their unacceptable behaviour,” she added.

A viral video captured Maria admonishing attendees of Mukesh Rajput's public meeting, urging them to consider the welfare of their children and fellow community members before supporting the BJP nominee. 

Additionally, she asserted that Salman Khurshid was actively involved in legal battles to secure the release of individuals detained in cases related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).