Activist Pooja Shakun Pandey faces charges in Uttar Pradesh for 'seeking ban on namaz'

A case has been registered against national secretary of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM), Mahamandaleshwar Annapurna Bharti, alias Pooja Shakun Pandey, in Aligarh for making a statement seeking a ban on namaaz.

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She has also been served with a notice issued by the Additional City Magistrate (First) Aligarh.

Pandey replied to the notice on Monday evening, saying that that she regretted if speaking the truth had hurt the sentiments of any religion.

She however, denied that her statement was "provocative".

SSP Aligarh Kalanidhi Naithani said on Tuesday: "A case has been registered against Pooja Shakun Pandey under section 153A, 153B, 295A and 505 of Indian Penal Code at Gandhi Park police station of Aligarh for disputed statements made by her.

"Investigations are ongoing in this case, and appropriate action will be taken. Besides this, a notice has also been served on this issue by the concerned magistrate."

Ashok Pandey, the national spokesperson for ABHM, has objected to the action taken by the administration.

Pooja Shakun Pandey is not new to controversies.

She had been booked earlier for glorifying and offering prayers to Nathuram Godse and for various comments and acts in the past.

In the latest controversy, she had handed over a memorandum to the administration and written a letter in blood to the President seeking a ban on crowd fathering for Friday `namaz`.

"Such a crowd has often turned violent against other communities as seen in Kanpur," she alleged.

Pandey said that she understands the administration`s compulsions for acting against her for speaking the truth and not against those who were doing wrong.