9-yr-old's play sent mother to jail for sedition but PM 'maun' on hate speeches: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on hate speeches by his party members and slammed his government over the sedition case slapped against a parent and a teacher in Karnataka for allegedly staging a play on the new citizenship law.

Nazbunnisa, 26, the mother of the girl who participated in the play, and Fareeda Begum, 52, the head teacher of Shaheen School, who staged it, were arrested by Bidar New Town Police Station officers.

The two were booked under Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting, attempting to promote disharmony) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code.

"A 9-year old child's lines in a school play have sent a mother and teacher to jail for sedition' while PM is completely maun' over his ministers urging people to shoot down people & calling elected CMs terrorists. This is the BJP's worldview and they will be made accountable," tweeted CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

In another tweet, he said communal polarisation has been BJP's "only achievement" in power.

"Communal polarisation, fear mongering, hatred and violence... That is all BJP is left in its arsenal with. These are their only achievements over the last six years. These are the Achhe Din' Modi promised in 2014?" he said.