Abhijeet served notice over 'Gandhi Pakistan's Father of Nation' remark
What's the story
Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya is in legal trouble after his controversial remarks on Mahatma Gandhi. Pune-based lawyer Asim Sarode has sent a legal notice to the singer on behalf of his client, Manish Deshpande. The notice demands an apology from Bhattacharya for his statement during a podcast with journalist Shubhankar Mishra, where he said Gandhi was not India's "father of the nation," but Pakistan's.
Disputed remarks
Bhattacharya's controversial comments on Mahatma Gandhi
During the podcast, Bhattacharya said music composer RD Burman was "bigger" than Gandhi. He added that while Burman was the "father of the nation in the world of music," Gandhi was not for India but for Pakistan. "Mahatma Gandhi was the father of the nation for Pakistan and not India. India already existed, Pakistan was carved out of India later." "Gandhi has been mistakenly called the father of the nation for India."
Legal consequences
Legal notice highlights potential charges against Bhattacharya
Sarode has reportedly threatened a complaint under sections 353 (public mischief) and section 356 (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita if Bhattacharya doesn't apologize. The notice claims India is known as a country closely associated with Gandhi and Bhattacharya's comments have defamed him. "You made the above foolish statement claiming that India has always existed, and Pakistan was created by mistake. The statement shows hatred in your mind for Mahatma Gandhi ji," read the legal notice.