(*Names changed to protect identity)
Hussain*, 14, a resident of Maharashtra’s Beed district, recently deleted his Instagram account.
“I never imagined that an Instagram story will one day turn into my worst nightmare,” he said, as he vowed to never return to the social networking site.
On 8 June, Hussain’s post featuring 17th century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb landed him in trouble after an FIR was registered against him under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505B (intention to incite offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“Since when did sharing images of historic figures become a crime in this country? We had to spend a lot of money to get our child out on bail,” Hussain’s uncle told The Quint.
The FIR was registered against the minor following a complaint by a 23-year-old social worker and member of a right-wing group called the Hindu Ekta Samiti.
“We are devotees of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was his enemy. He destroyed hundreds of Hindu temples. This boy, who I know personally because we live in the same colony, had shared a picture of Aurangzeb with a status that said ‘baap baap hota hai’ which hurt my religious sentiments. That is why I registered the complaint,” the complainant told The Quint…
This story was originally published in thequint.com. Read the full story here