‘India now a Hitlershahi’: Congress president Kharge slams Modi govt on Pawan Khera's arrest

The grand old party has linked Khera's arrest to his recent statement on prime minister Narendra Modi and the PM's father.

Updated on: Feb 23, 2023, 16:43:50 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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The arrest by Assam Police of Congress leader Pawan Khera shows that the Modi government has turned India's democracy into ‘Hitlershahi,’ party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday, joining Congress members in condemning Khera's arrest, which the party has linked to his recent statement on prime minister Narendra Modi and the PM's father.

**EDS: SCREENSHOT VIA AICC** New Delhi: Congress leaders stage a protest dharna at the IGI Airport after the party leader Pawan Khera was allegedly deboarded from the plane owing to an FIR against him, in New Delhi, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. (PTI Photo) (PTI02_23_2023_000039B) (PTI)

Click here for LIVE updates on Pawan Khera's arrest

“When the opposition raises issues in Parliament, they are given notices. On the eve of our plenary session, raids are conducted on our leaders in Chhattisgarh. Today, our media department chairman was forcibly deplaned and arrested. The Modi government has converted India's democracy into a Hitlershahi. We strongly condemn this dictatorship,” tweeted Kharge.

On Thursday morning, Khera, along with several Congress leaders, had boarded an IndiGo flight from Delhi for Raipur, where the party's plenary session will take place from Feb 24 to 26. Before the flight could take off, however, he was asked to deplane; all Congress passengers deboarded the aircraft and protested on the tarmac itself.

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Confirming that ‘a passenger’ was deplaned and the departure will be delayed, IndiGo said in a statement it will arrange for an alternative aircraft to operate the flight.

In a press conference on Feb 17, while taking a jibe at PM Modi over his alleged proximity to embattled billionaire Gautam Adani, Khera had referred to the prime minister as ‘Narendra Gautamdas Modi,’ instead of ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi'; Damodardas Modi is the name of the PM's late father.

He later said he ‘genuinely got confused whether it is Damodardas or Gautam Das.’

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