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Congress leader Raja Pateriya arrested over PM Modi remark, sent to 14-day custody
Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Raja Pateriya on Tuesday was arrested for his controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said.
Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Raja Pateriya on Tuesday was arrested for his controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said, adding he was later produced before a local court and sent to 14-day judicial custody.
Pateriya, who is the state Congress vice-president, stoked controversy on Monday after a video of him asking people to “kill” Modi to “save” the Constitution went viral. The Congress leader, however, said his remarks were wrongly interpreted and that he meant defeating Modi electorally.
The FIR against him under various sections of Indian Penal Code was registered by Panna police on Monday on the directions of state home minister Narottam Mishra.
Pawai sub-divisional officer (SDO) Saurabh Ratnakar said Pateriya was arrested from his residence in Hata tehsil on Tuesday morning and produced before a local court in the afternoon. “The court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days,” he said.
While leaving the court, Pateriya said he had not said anything wrong and it was an ideological fight. “I have said nothing wrong. I am a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi,” he told reporters.
The Congress leader’s supporters assembled outside the court and raised slogans.
Meanwhile, the state Congress organisation in-charge Chandra Prabhash Shekhar issued a show cause notice to Pateriya, seeking an explanation within three days on why he should not be suspended from the party.
“While speaking at a party meeting at Pawai, you have used condemnable words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi which comes under severe indiscipline. Reply within three days of notice served on why you should not be suspended from the party membership,” the notice, a copy of which HT has seen, said.
State Congress president Kamal Nath told reporters in Bhopal that he has already condemned Pateriya’s remarks and a show cause notice has also been served to him.
In the video clip, seen by HT, Pateriya is seen attacking the Prime Minister and accusing him of putting the lives of minorities, Dalits and tribals in danger. “Modi will end the elections. Modi will divide on the basis of religion, caste and language. The future of Dalits, tribals and minorities is in danger. If you want to save the Constitution, then be ready to kill Modi. Kill in the sense of defeating him,” he said while addressing a meeting of Congress workers at Pawai town in Panna district.
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked the Congress over the video, Pateriya said his remarks were taken out of context and clarified that he meant to “defeat” PM Modi in the elections.
