MP Congress leader and former minister Raja Pateria was arrested today for his controversial remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘be ready to kill Modi to save constitution.’
As per the officials Pateria has been arrested from his residence in Hata town of Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district.
He was addressing a meeting of the Mandalam sector presidents organized by the District Congress Committee at Powai Rest House, where he made the controversial remarks on PM Modi.
In the video that went viral, Pateria could be heard saying that “PM Modi will “end elections, divide people on the basis of religion and Dalits face the biggest threat under his regime”. “You should be ready to carry out ‘Modi ki hatya’ if you want to save the Constitution…hatya (kill) in the sense of defeating him,” Pateria is heard saying.
Agitated over his statement, the BJP leaders demanded Pateria’s immediate arrest and also sought the strictest probe into the matter.
In the letter to DGP, the BJP leaders said: “A video in the matter has gone viral over social media and electronic media where a senior leader of Congress was seen appealing to kill the Prime Minister in an open address in a village of Panna. Such an appeal to kill the Prime Minister shows that there is a serious challenge to national security, and a conspiracy to spread anarchy and cause a riot in Madhya Pradesh.”
“This seems to be an attempt to hatch a conspiracy to kill PM Modi and encourage Naxalism in the state,” the letter read further.
Following which Pateria also made a clarification video in which he said, “I am a follower of Gandhi ji and Gandhi’s followers can not talk about murder. The video has been misinterpreted.”
“I meant to say that it is necessary to defeat him to save this country’s Constitution, to protect minorities, Dalits, and tribal and to remove unemployment. My intention about the murder has been misrepresented,” Pateria added.
Mr Pateria will be in jail till at least December 26 after failing to secure bail. Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Congress has issued him a show cause notice and sought a response within three days.