New Delhi

Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar, has been arrested amidst the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka allegedly for his objectionable tweet against a high court judge who is hearing the hijab case.

"Kannada film actor and activist Chetan Ahimsa has been arrested by Bengaluru City Police. An on-its-own FIR was registered on Tuesday and under 505(2) and 504 of the IPC. Based on the tweet, the FIR was registered in Sheshadripuram Police Station," MN Anucheth, the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Central Division said.

For past few days, many KA channels have been streaming w/out consent Muslim women of all ages removing their burqas/#hijabs

Such sensationalised displays of majoritarian voyeurism must be condemned & ceased

Authorities must address such reporting that deprives women of dignity

— Chetan Kumar Ahimsa / ಚೇತನ್ ಅಹಿಂಸಾ (@ChetanAhimsa) February 18, 2022

As the hijab row hearing is going on, Chetan replugged his old tweet and wrote, "This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision. Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case. Now this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools. Does he have the clarity required?”

screenshot of the re-tweet as posted by Chetan Kumar

Chetan's wife Megha conducted a Facebook live on February 22 evening after Chetan's arrest and said no one informed the family about the arrest or the reason. She said she has filed a complaint with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner seeking information regarding Chetan's arrest.

The actor has been regularly tweeting his opinion on the ongoing hijab row. In favour of keeping all religious symbols outside the educational institutes, the actor said schools must ban kumkuma as well as it is a Hindu religious symbol, defined in many Hindu texts and by Shankaracharya.

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