Moral police out and about

Moral policing of artistic expression has grown nasty again. First, a Catholic Church run mass communications college in Kottayam expelled five students for making a film on homosexuality. Then, in Vadodara, two students were arrested by the police on charges of obscenity at the instigation of a local BJP leader for painting Hindu deities in nude. A protest organised by fellow students to showcase the erotic in Hindu culture came under attack. The Dean of the Arts Faculty, who stood by the right of the students to self-expression, was suspended by the University!

The provisions of the IPC which allow draconian powers to the police to stifle speech are these:
Section 153A: Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of
religion, race etc, commiting acts prejudicial to the harmony of the public

According to the section whoever by words or expression promotes enmity
between different groups of the country on the grounds of religion,
race, place of birth, residence, language, or any such grounds or
commits an act which is prejudicial to the harmony of he public is
culpable under the section with imprisonment which may extend to three
years with or without fine. Further, when the offence is committed on
any religious place or any place worship the imprisonment can extend to
5 years with or without fine. The offence is non-bailable and even
cognizable (after 1898) ie. Police can arrest a person under the section
without warrant.

Section 295: Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult
the religion of any class

Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object
held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby
insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge
that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage
or defilement as a insult to their religion, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two
years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 295A: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage
religious feelings

Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or
any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs 295A.
Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or
any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the
religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either
spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or
otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious
beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or
with both.

Section 114 is about abetment and presence when any crime is being
committed.