Dalit scholar booked for Fb post alleges harassment

Alleging harassment by UP authorities, dalit scholar Kanwal Bharti, booked for alleged objectionable facebook post on suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakht Nagpal, today claimed the police had sought cancellation of his bail in the case at the behest of a state minister.
"I am being treated as a terrorist by the police, which is working on the diktats of a minister and has approached a court in Rampur for cancellation of my bail," Bharti told PTI.
"I will give my reply to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) on September 16 and see what grounds police have taken for cancellation of my bail," he said.

Bharti, who was arrested on August 6 for his Facebook post of July 29 and later granted bail, said he had only questioned the suspension of Nagpal over demolition of mosque wall.
He alleged that he was facing harassment at the behest of the minister as he could not take criticism of certain developments in his constituency.
Asked whether he would demand security, Bharti replied in the negative.

"The responsibility of security of a common lies on the government.. I will not demand it," he said.
Bharti said that he has filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court demanding compensation from the government and quashing of the FIR against him.

"I have prayed for a stay on the investigation in the case. My freedom of speech and expression is violated and my arrest was done with malafide intentions," Bharti said.
Bharti was booked under sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot) and 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs".