JAIPUR: A 35-year-old teacher's poem extolling the values of a casteless society and freedom of expression so irked his community members and friends that they abducted him from outside a coaching centre at Mansarovar and thrashed him on Saturday. Gajendra Singh Kaviya , who teaches history at a coaching centre for RAS in Ridhi Siddhi area, told TOI that his freedom was held in chokehold by those who disagreed with“I have been invited for a poetry event in Nagaur next week. But some people from my own community have been clamouring that the invite be withdrawn. They claim that I am a leftist who does not believe in god or community’s culture,” he said.Kaviya decided to dispel the growing menacing voices with his sharp poem which further irked his opponents. “My poem was: Insa mera dharam hai, insa meri jaat, baat karo to mat karo par mat karo aghat (humanity is my religion, humanity is my caste. Don’t talk to me if you don’t want to, but don’t attack me either),” he said.Like every day, on Saturday too Kaviya was teaching in the coaching centre when some people called him out. “First, they confronted me about the poem, to which I replied that I had already deleted that post. Then they pushed me into a car and thrashed me near Muhana Mandi,” he said.Around 12pm when the information of his abduction reached police, they sprang into action. He was tracked and taken to the police station along with others. Sunil Kumar, SHO, Mansarovar, told TOI that the abductors were known to Kaviya.“All of them came to the police station and had a brief discussion. Later, Kaviya filed an FIR against two people – Bhaskar Singh and Dileep Singh. We are investigating the case,” Kumar said.An unfazed Kaviya said that he would attend the upcoming poetry event. “Where is the freedom of expression? I did not say anything wrong,” he said.

Stay updated with all the Latest Jaipur headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.