Kerala High Court | Treesa Sunil | Social Thikana
Aisha Sultana is a native of Lakshadweep's Chetlat island and is an actor, model and director. During a TV debate she referred to a “bio-weapon while speaking on the Covid outbreak on the islands which became controversial. Later the actress took to social media and clarified that what she meant was about the controversial Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel while referring to the “bio-weapon”.
The Kavaratti police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by local BJP president C. Abdul Khader Haji and charged Aisha under IPC Sections 124A (sedition) and 153B (assertions against national integration). His complaint mentioned that Aisha described the Union Government as “bio-weapon”. She sought pre-arrest bail in the FIR. The court adjourned the hearing to Thursday and asked for a response from Kavaratti Police.
In her plea she said she had been falsely implicated in the case ‘with ulterior motives and vexatious intentions’ and that her remarks did not amount to sedition as there was no call for violence in it.
“No longer will we, the people of Lakshadweep, tolerate fascism. We will stand against totalitarian policies, and we will survive this siege on Lakshadweep. As long as fascism tries to discriminate, my voice will never abate. Today is a black day for Lakshadweep natives.” she wrote on her Facebook handle.