A Punjabi poet, who was arrested for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a community, was today sent to two weeks judicial custody by a court here.
Surjit Gag, the author of book 'Gag Bani', was arrested yesterday.
Gag had shared his poem, ‘Main te Nanak’ (I and Nanak), on Facebook a couple of days ago. The SGPC alleged that the poet had equated himself with Guru Nanak and used derogatory words against the first Sikh master.
He was today produced in the court of Ashok Chauhan, Civil Judge, Senior Division, Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Gag, who works as a television technician, is known for writing poetry against the political establishment and religious leaders. He hails from Gag village near Anandpur Sahib. At loggerheads with Sikh hardliners, he claimed to have received threats from them.
SSP Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu said the complaint was lodged by Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib manager Ranjit Singh. The latter said he had acted on the directions of SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar.
“We can’t tolerate a word against our Gurus,” Ranjit Singh said.
He was arrested under IPC section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) on the complaint of the manager of Takht Kesagarh Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib.
The manager had complained to the police that Gag had used derogatory language against Sikhs' first Guru Nanak Dev in a poem.
Gag was last year expelled from district Ropar Likhari Sabha when he read a poem against alleged corrupt practices of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in the presence of the then education minister Daljit Singh Cheema.
Gag has remained in news for his controversial poems and he was expelled from the Zila Likhari Sabha, Rupnagar, some years back for his sarcastic poem against then ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal and its leaders.
Punjab Students Union state leader Ranbir Randhawa, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) leader Surjit Singh, CPI district secretary Davinder Nangli, Tarksheel Society leaders Jasmer Singh, Harnek Singh and Kuldeep Singh and Indian Federation of Trade Union (IFTU) leader Tarsem Jatpur have condemned Gag’s arrest.
They said the case against Gag was registered under political pressure it was an attempt to suppress freedom of expression of writers and poets. They demanded immediate release of the poet.
