Complaint filed against Ram Gopal Varma in Mumbai court over tweet on Draupadi Murmu

A complaint has been filed against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his allegedly derogatory tweet about the NDA’s presidential pick Draupadi Murmu. The complainant, Subhas Rajora, has sought the registration of an FIR against Varma.The tweet was “offensive, obnoxious and smacks of the underlying malice and mischief” which was intended to “tarnish the image and reputation of Murmu”, Rajora said in his complaint.

The complaint has been filed at the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for defamation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace, criminal intimidation and other charges.Rajora, in this complaint, has referred to tweets from June 22.On June 22, the filmmaker wrote: “If DRAUPADI is the PRESIDENT, who are the PANDAVAS ? And more importantly, who are the KAURAVAS?” However, two days later, after massive social media backlash, Varma said he did not intend to hurt anyone.“This was said just in an earnest irony and not intended in any other way. Draupadi in Mahabharata is my favourite character, but since the name is such a rarity, I just remembered the associated characters and hence my expression. Not at all intended to hurt the sentiments of anyone.”