Morbi cops to probe video mocking MLAs.

RAJKOT: Almost a month after Morbi's ceramic industry went on strike against the state government over various pending issues, the police on Sunday registered a case against unknown persons for allegedly circulating video clips that purportedly mocked senior BJP MLAs and ministers for their "anti-ceramic" industry stand.

The ceramic unit owners had gone on 23-day strike last month demanding reduction in excise duty, 10 per cent rebate on export, alterative supply of gas to the ceramic industry, allowing coal gas based gasifiers and imposition of anti-dumping duty on China.

"The case has been registered against unknown persons under various sections of Information Technology Act. The video clips were being circulated during the ceramic industry's strike which showed MLAs and a state minister in poor light. The language used in the clips was also abusive," said N K Vaghela of Morbi Police station.

The police itself has became the complainant in this case. Sources said that the video was made between December 1 and December 21 last year.

The video clips, which used a cat as symbol, mocked Morbi MLA Kantilal Amrutiya, Tankara MLA Mohan Kundaria, rural development minister Jayanti Kavadia and energy minister Saurabh Patel. The video allegedly asked people not to allow MLAs and ministers to enter their villages and refrain from voting from them.

"The case will be investigated by cyber cell of Rajkot district police to trace the origin of these clips,'' Vaghela added.

There are around 600 ceramic industrial units in Morbi that had gone on strike since November 27 after Gujarat high court prohibited use of illegal coal gasifiers following a public interest litigation concerning pollution. The unit owners started switching to natural gas, which is almost four times more expensive than coal gas, but it could not compete with competitors from north Gujarat, where gas is available much cheaper than in Morbi.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com