Who is Kajal Hindustani, arrested for hate speech in Gujarat
The Gujarat Police arrested Kajal Hindustani, a right-wing activist who calls herself the sherni or lioness of Gujarat, on Sunday in the state's Gir Somnath district for her alleged hate speech before Ram Navami, which triggered communal unrest in Una on April 1. She surrendered before the police, after which she was taken to court and placed in judicial custody.
Why does this story matter?
Hindustani reportedly evaded arrest for a week after a communal clash erupted following her provocative speech at an event organized by Vishva Hindu Parishad on March 30. She made disparaging remarks against a minority community and was charged under Sections 295A, 153A, and 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Notably, several places across India saw communal violence related to Ram Navami celebrations.
Hindustani claims to have helped Pakistani Hindus settle in Gujarat
Hindustani or Kajal Shingala's Twitter bio reads that she is an entrepreneur, research analyst, debater, social activist, and a proud nationalist. She often appears on TV news channel debates, too. She claims to spread awareness about Indian culture and work for the human rights of Hindus, as well as to have adopted a village and helped Pakistani Hindus to settle in Gujarat.
Changed name because of strong nationalistic views
Hindustani is reportedly a native of Rajasthan and has been married to Gujarat's Jamnagar-based Jwalant Shingala for 20 years. On her Twitter account—which has over 94,000 followers—the "Hindu" in her "Hindustani" name has been highlighted in capital letters and the rest in lowercase. As per her website, her strong nationalistic views prompted her to change her name.
Clashes witnessed for 2 days after her speech
According to reports, communal tension persisted in Una for two days following Hindustani's speech, resulting in a clash between two communities and stone pelting on April 1 night. The police also filed an FIR against 76 named individuals and a mob of approximately 200 people under various IPC sections, including 323 (voluntarily causing harm) and 337 (rash or negligent act causing harm), among others.
