India, Aug. 6 -- A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Bombay High Court, seeking action against BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar for allegedly delivering provocative speeches against the Christian community.

The petition, filed by Thane-based activist, Melwyn Fernandes, states that on June 17, during a public rally at Kupwad, Sangli, Padalkar made inflammatory and communally charged statements, linking the death by suicide of a woman from Jalna on June 6, to alleged "forced religious conversions" by Christian clergies.

According to the petition, these allegations constitute an abuse of public office, and are a "malicious attempt to vilify the Christian community, foment communal disharmony, and usurp the role of invest...