Kerala: RSS Ideologue Mohandas Held Over Remarks Against CJP Protestors
His comments about women protesters had been widely criticised as misogynistic and dangerous
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police arrested RSS ideologue and political commentator T G Mohandas over an alleged hate speech targeting students who protested at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last month.
He was detained in Mattancherry, Kochi on Sunday, after a search at his home, then brought to Thiruvananthapuram, where his arrest was formally recorded. Earlier, Cyber Police had booked him for allegedly making derogatory and violent remarks against the student protesters, including offensive comments about women and threats to shoot demonstrators. The FIR cited multiple laws, and the remarks, made in videos on his YouTube channel, sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
An RSS ideologue said that if he were in charge of the Jantar Mantar area, he would enforce a curfew within a four-kilometre radius of the protest site and instruct authorities to open fire after warning protesters to disperse three times. Mohandas went on to say that several protesters should be killed or maimed, with their bodies sent to hospitals. The Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police registered an FIR under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot) and 353(1)(b) (statements conducive to public mischief), Information Technology Act Section 66 (computer-related offences), and Kerala Police Act Section 120(o) (public order violations). The case was filed after the Students Federation of India (SFI) lodged a complaint with Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar.
The SFI, in its complaint, claimed that Mohandas’ comments went beyond political opinion, accusing them of inciting violence, devaluing human life, spreading public fear, and threatening the democratic right to peaceful protest. Mohandas had made offensive remarks about women, stating that “secular women enjoy being gang raped” and that protesters “like rape,” which triggered widespread outrage nationwide. In response, the SFI, AISF, and DYFI organised protests demanding strict action against him. The RSS distanced itself from his statements, labelling them as his personal views and condemning them strongly.
His comments about women protesters had been widely criticised as misogynistic and dangerous. All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) stated that his words reflected the “Manuvadi” mindset of the RSS ideologue.
The RSS also distanced itself from Mohandas' remarks. RSS leader K. B. Sreekumar condemned the statements, clarifying that the organization does not support Mohandas' views and described the remarks as his personal opinion.
