FIR filed against 'The Wire' in UP's Faizabad over a report on CM Yogi Adityanath

Amid the Coronavirus crisis in the country, an FIR was registered on Wednesday against digital news portal - The Wire - on charges of 'creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes' over an article that was published in which it stated that the UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanth attended a public gathering on March 25 despite a nationwide lockdown. The FIR was registered at Kotwali Nagar police station in Faizabad under Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 505(2) (creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The FIR has been lodged based on a complaint filed by one Nitish Kumar Shrivastav.

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The article alleges UP CM violated lockdown

The article published by the news portal on March 31 read, "On March 18, the government of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath insisted that a large mela, or fair, planned for Ayodhya on the occasion of Ram Navami from March 25 to April 2 would proceed as usual. The pro-government sadhu, Paramhans, said that 'Lord Ram would protect devotees from the coronavirus."

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"The next day, however, when Modi gave a call for a Janata curfew, the chief minister changed tack and urged people to celebrate Ram Navami at home," it added. "But one day after Modi announced the "curfew-like" national lockdown on March 24, Adityanath violated the official social distancing guidelines to take part in a religious ceremony in Ayodhya along with dozens of people," it said.

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21-day Pan-India Lockdown 

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in India, PM Modi, on March 24, announced a 21-day curfew throughout India starting at midnight on Tuesday. He had said that 21 days were necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the pandemic. The 21-day curfew is applicable to all states, districts, and villages - irrespective of whether they are currently under curfew or not.

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(With ANI Inputs)