Assamese transgender makeup artist Jaanmoni booked over remarks against PM Modi

A case has been registered against Assamese transgender makeup artist and former reality show contestant Jaanmoni over her alleged objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said on July 28.

The Kozhikode Cyber Police registered the case following a complaint filed by BJP Mahila Morcha Kerala president Navya Haridas.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Jaanmoni allegedly made defamatory and insulting remarks against the Prime Minister on social media with the intention of provoking public unrest and disturbing communal harmony.

Police have booked the case under Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot) and 356(2) (criminal defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, which deals with causing nuisance through repeated or undesirable communication.

The case was registered a day after Jaanmoni issued a public apology for her remarks, saying she had no intention of deliberately hurting anyone's sentiments.

In a video posted on Instagram, she expressed regret if her comments had offended people and admitted that she should have verified the information before making the statement.

The controversy began after Jaanmoni, while responding to questions from the media about the recent student protests in New Delhi, made remarks about the Prime Minister that drew widespread criticism on social media.

In her clarification, she said she had reacted after watching online content related to the protests and had failed to express herself properly in Malayalam. She also maintained that she had not intended to make any comment about the Prime Minister's mother and that her earlier statement was based solely on material she had viewed online.

Rejecting the apology, BJP leader Navya Haridas said the issue was not one of language and argued that freedom of speech did not permit abusive remarks against any individual. She said only strict legal action could deter such behaviour.