Samajwadi MP booked for sedition after remarks defending Taliban

An FIR has been filed against Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq and two others in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district for their controversial remarks over the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.

The case has been registered against Barq at the Sadar police station on a complaint lodged by Rajesh Singhal late on Tuesday night.

The charges against the Samajwadi Party MP include Sections 124A (Sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"The complainant Rajesh Singhal has filed a complaint alleging that Shafiqur Rahman Barq, during a press conference, compared the Taliban terrorists to India's freedom fighters," said Sambhal SP Chakresh Mishra on Wednesday.

"Taliban has been declared a terrorist organisation by the Indian government. These statements come under sedition. The police will take strict actions against the people making such statements," Mishra said.

However, Barq denied making such a statement.

Speaking to ANI, the SP leader said, "I did not make any such statement. My statement has been misinterpreted. I am a citizen of India, not of Afghanistan, so I have no business with what is happening there. I support my government's policies."

Barq, earlier on Tuesday, had supported the regime change in Afghanistan and said that the Taliban is fighting for the freedom of their country and Afghan people want freedom under its leadership.

The SP MP had told ANI: "When India was under British rule, our country fought for freedom. Now Taliban wants to free their country and run it. Taliban is a force that did not allow even strong countries like Russia and US to settle in their country."

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya had slammed Barq and said there is no difference between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the leaders of the SP.

"The Samajwadi Party can say anything, if such a statement has come from the SP on the Taliban, then what is the difference between Imran Khan and the leaders of the SP," said Deputy CM.

Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace. Taliban leaders have been discussing future government plans in Doha after gaining control of Kabul, as per a media report.

Panic has gripped the Afghan capital as people fear a return to the Taliban's brutal rule and the threat of reprisal killings. Thousands of Afghans flooded the tarmac on Monday morning, at one point swarming around a departing US military plane as it taxied down the runway.