Pawan Khera arrest highlights: Democracy under threat under BJP, says Cong chief Kharge

Talking about opposition unity, Ramesh said it would be strengthened when the Congress becomes strong.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the arrest of his party leader Pawan Khera and alleged that democracy and Constitution were under threat in the saffron party's regime. He was talking to reporters at Swami Vivekanand Airport Raipur after his arrival here to attend the Congress's 85th plenary session beginning Friday.

"It is totally condemnable the way they are doing these things. We are all going to Raipur for the plenary session, Pawan Khera was also travelling with us, suddenly they deplaned Pawan Khera without any valid reason," Venugopal told PTI at the tarmac.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said he was absolutely in dark about the reason why he was deboarded from the Raipur-bound IndiGo plane. In a video released by the Congress, the senior party leader said he was told that there was some issue with his luggage. Read more

Pawan Khera's arrest was arbitrary and dictatorial and yet another cowardly attempt to derail 85th AICC Plenary in Raipur. BJP totally misguided if it believes that such laughable intimidation tactics are going to dissuade us from exposing its corruption and misgovernance: KC Venugopal

The Congress on Thursday said all preparations are in place for holding the CWC polls in case the steering committee decides in favour of having the elections for seats in the party's top decision-making body.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party president Mallikarjun Kharge-led steering committee will meet at 10 am on February 24, the first day of the party's 85th plenary session in Chhattisgarh's Nava Raipur.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed his happiness after Pawan Khera was granted an interim bail by the Supreme Court after he was forcibly deplaned at the Delhi airport and subsequently arrested by the Assam police over his remarks against PM Modi. Read more

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said he was arrested by Assam police in an illegal manner, adding that he has complete trust in the judicial system. Read more

Khera had referred to the prime minister as "Narendra Gautamdas Modi" while criticising the government over the row involving the business conglomerate headed by Gautam Adani. The apparent flub led to strong condemnation from the BJP with its leaders accusing Khera of making fun of the prime minister and his late father.

Congress leader Pawan Khera, who was granted interim bail over alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday said he saluted the judiciary and was grateful that the apex court upheld his liberties.

Congress leader Pawan Khera had been the subject of BJP ire ever since his remark on PM Modi.  Home minister Amit Shah while adrresing a rally in Nagaland had said, “The kind of language the Congress spokesperson has used (for PM) and the sort of reaction it has drawn from people from across the country... you will see Rahul Gandhi that the Congress will not be visible even through telescope after the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.”

BJP leaders in Delhi also took out a protest march in the city on the matter.

The New Delhi-Raipur flight was delayed and IndiGo staff said the passengers will be put on another flight to Raipur.

The majority of the passengers had boarded when drama ensued as Khera was asked to deplane. The passengers were taken back to the plane in buses later in the afternoon and headed to Raipur only around 4 pm, almost four hours after the scheduled time of 11.45 am.

Counsel for Pawan Khera, Aadil Singh Boparai said that the main contention is that he was arrested arbitrarily and has been a breach of the Supreme Court's direction.

"The only contention is that he was arrested arbitrarily and has been a breach of the Supreme Court's direction. He was not served any notice and till 4 pm we were not given the FIR copy. We will exercise all our legal remedies," he said. 

I am going there right now, says Congress leader Pawan Khera when asked about his next step for the party's 85th plenary session in Raipur. Khera was arrested by Assam Police earlier today. In a hearing taken up by Supreme Court later in the day, he was granted interim bail

The complainant also alleged that Khera's remarks were "a part of a wider conspiracy to degrade and destabilise our nation by defaming and disreputing the person, who is holding a high constitutional post as Prime Minister of India".

The Congress leader "intentionally" caused a "breach of public peace, with an intent to incite violence and disturb peace and tranquility in the society" and the statements were made to "cause public mischief", the FIR alleged.

Dima Hasao Superintendent of Police Mayank Kumar told PTI that BJP leader Hen Samuel Changsan, an Executive Member of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council,  filed a complaint against Khera on Wednesday at Haflong police station for his comments on PM Modi and other issues.

Pawan Khera talking to media after he was granted interim bail said, “Our struggle to protect this nation, protect constitutional values - my leader Rahul Gandhi is carrying on his struggle fearlessly, I will strengthen his effort.”

Congress leader Pawan Khera after he was granted interim bail said that he is leaving to Raipur shortly to attend party's 85th plenary session. “I am going there right now,” Khera said. 

Without furnishing a copy of FIR and notice, I was deboarded from the aircraft and arrested by Assam Police in an illegal manner. I have complete trust in the judicial system which protected my freedom of expression today: Congress leader Pawan Khera after court grants interim bail.

The deplaning of @INCIndia Leader Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) from an IndiGo flight today is a condemnable act that infringes upon his right to freedom of expression and political association: NCP leader Supriya Sule

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal granted interim bail to Khera, who was produced before the court, on a bail bond of ₹30,000 and one surety of the like amount.

The magistrate passed the order around 6.10 pm after receiving a copy of the apex court's order for Khera's release.

Congress leader Pawan Khera was arrested by Assam Police Thursday in controversial fashion; he was de-boarded from an IndiGo flight to Raipur by Delhi Police and detained till their colleagues from the northeastern state arrived to arrest him over allegedly derogatory remarks about prime minister Narendra Modi. Read more

Dwarka court grants interim bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in view of the order passed by the Supreme Court. The court granted him interim bail on furnishing a bond of ₹30,000. He was arrested by Assam Police earlier today.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was worried due to Congress's successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, and now it is scared of the 85th plenary session of the Grand Old Party which will start from Friday, says Jairam Ramesh.