An Indian MP has been booked on charges of hate speech after calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'anti-national', sparking widespread protests from the BJP.
Key Points
- Samajwadi Party MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi booked for calling PM Modi 'anti-national'.
- Lodhi faces charges including assault on a public official and promoting enmity.
- The BJP is organising protests across Uttar Pradesh in response to Lodhi's remarks.
- The complaint against Lodhi alleges he stoked 'caste hatred' with his comments.
- UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned Lodhi's remarks as a blow to democratic decorum.
Samajwadi Party MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi has been booked in Mahoba under charges of assault on a public official and promoting hate after he called Prime Minister Narendra Modi "anti-national", police said on Tuesday.
The BJP's state unit has decided to protest in all its district headquarters on the issue on Wednesday.
Lodhi, the Lok Sabha MP from the Hamirpur constituency, was booked Monday night under sections 132 (assault on a public official), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 196(1) (promoting enmity), and 352 (intentional insult) of the BNS.
Complaint Details and Allegations
The police action came at the complaint of BJP district media in-charge Satyendra Pratap Gupta, who accused Lodhi of stoking "caste hatred" with his remark on Modi.
"During a conversation (with the media), they made extremely vulgar and offensive remarks about the prime minister. They said that Modi is anti-national, which created caste hatred and hurt our sentiments," he complained, according to the police.
On Monday, Lodhi and his supporters submitted an 11-point memorandum to the Power department flagging power cuts and issues with smart metres, among other issues.
Disruption and Remarks Against Modi
Gupta alleged that Lodhi's march to the government office caused a blockade, disrupted traffic, and hindered the work of public employees. He also alleged that Lodhi called Modi "anti-national".
A purported video of the incident, which surfaced on social media, showed the lawmaker criticising Modi's austerity appeal to the people regarding gold and fuel consumption.
Lodhi allegedly used an expletive against Modi and called him a "desh-virodhi (anti-national)" prime minister. He also questioned Modi's foreign visits and said the country had never seen such a prime minister.
Government Response and BJP Protests
The MP, who was speaking to reporters after submitting the memorandum to the local administration, warned that the government would have to "face consequences" if their demands were not fulfilled.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the lawmaker over the remarks. "The unparliamentary remark made by an MP against Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not only objectionable and unforgivable, but also a serious blow to democratic decorum," the chief minister said.
Lodhi's conduct, he added, reflected "bad political culture, ideological bankruptcy and disrespect towards the dignity of public life."
BJP leaders said they will hold large-scale protests at all district headquarters across the state against the "objectionable and indecent" remarks allegedly made by Lodhi.
BJP state general secretary Sanjay Rai said the protests would be organised on Wednesday in collectorate premises at the district level. He said women office-bearers, public representatives and party workers would participate in large numbers.
Rai said the use of "abusive language" was against "the healthy traditions of Indian politics". The BJP will not tolerate this, he said.
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