FIR filed against two for poster depicting Mayawati as Kali taking on Narendra Modi and Smriti Irani

A First Information Report has been registered against two people in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district after a controversial poster surfaced depicting Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati as Kali taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, reported The Indian Express. The poster reportedly showed Mayawati holding Irani's head in one hand.

However, the BSP distanced itself from the row, and zonal coordinator and legislative council member Sunil Kumar Chittor said the party has nothing to do with the poster or the event where it was on display. He added that the people involved in the controversy are not associated with the BSP.

The poster titled "Mayawati roared in Parliament" was credited to a Dhruv Singh Kardam and was used on Sunday at a local procession organised to mark Dr BR Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary. It was later removed following strong opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Taking offence to the poster, BJP district president Ramvir Singh filed a formal complaint against Kardam and the organiser of the event. The FIR was registered under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code that criminalises deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.