Delhi Police arrests DU Professor Ratan Lal for objectionable post on Gyanvapi Shivling

Days after registering a complaint against Dr Ratan Lal, a professor of History at Delhi University for hurting religious sentiments, the Delhi police arrested him on Friday. The arrest came following massive outrage on Ratan Lal's offensive social media post wherein he wrote objectionable remarks directed at the Shivling which was found inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex during a court-ordered survey.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) North, Sagar Singh Kalsi, Delhi University professor Ratan Lal was arrested for allegedly making an objectionable post on Facebook intended to hurt religious feelings. The case was registered against Lal under sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Cyber Police Station North District and an investigation has been launched. "The arrest of Dr Ratan Lal, Professor of History at Hindu College, DU, is effective from May 20, under FIR no. 50/22 & under sections 153A/295A IPC," Cyber Police Station reported according to ANI.

Following Ratan Lal's arrest, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), as well as the All India Students Association (AISA), protested and blocked the road outside Cyber PS, North District, demanding his release. The members of these organisations raised slogans and carried protest cards in support of Lal stating that he was detained illegally. 

It is pertinent to mention here that on May 17, the Delhi police received a complaint against Ratan Lal regarding a deliberate and malicious post on Facebook intended to infuriate religious feelings by insulting a religion/religious beliefs. Ever since the objectionable post was shared, Ratan Lal, who works as an Associate Professor of History at Hindu College, Delhi, has been facing massive outrage from netizens, many of whom raised alarm over the insights he shared with his students with this mindstate. Many, while responding strongly to the post, also tagged the Twitter handle of the Delhi Police, demanding action.

Gyanvapi mosque survey

While debates continue to prevail over the discovery of a 'Shivling' from the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, two sides of the discussions have surfaced where the Hindu petitioners are celebrating the discovery while the others have refuted the claims, stating it is a fountain.

Meanwhile, launching a counter-attack on the fountain claims levelled by the Muslim side, Kulpati Tiwari, a Hindu seer, who is a priest at Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath temple, has reiterated the discovery of a 'Shivling' inside the mosque stating that "it is not a fountain, but a Shivling'. Speaking exclusively to Republic TV, Mahant of Kashi Vishwanath, Kulpati Tiwari also expressed anguish over the denial of the existence of a 'Shivling' and called it shocking that "one needs proof of God's existence". "This is an insult to God", he further added, noting that the court has formed a committee to probe the matter.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court of India has also issued an order asking all the nine parties including the Uttar Pradesh government to keep the Shivling 'protected', while Muslims can continue prayers inside the complex.