An FIR was registered against a Congress leader from Nagpur in Maharashtra for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a demonstration held near the Enforcement Directorate's office, police said on Wednesday.
A case was registered against former Nagpur unit Congress president, Sheikh Hussain, at the Gittikhadan police station on Tuesday night after local BJP leaders submitted a memorandum to DCP, Zone I, Sandip Pakhale.
No arrest has been made in this connection yet.
Meanwhile, talking to PTI, Hussain said he had spoken about the problems in the country, like unemployment and inflation, and in order to describe the situation in Gujarat when Modi was its chief minister, he used a phrase, which he said was not against the prime minister. Hussain also sought to know why a case was not filed against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, whose alleged objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammad have created a controversy.
Police registered the FIR against Hussain under sections 294 (punishment for obscene acts committed in public or obscene words spoken in public) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code against Hussain, a Gittikhadan police station official said.
Nagpur (west) BJP unit president Vinod Kanhare is the complainant in the case.
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According to the complaint, Hussain had used derogatory language against the prime minister while addressing Congress workers during a protest held near the office of the ED on Monday to express solidarity with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was quizzed in Delhi in connection with a money laundering case.
The BJP has demanded strict action against Hussain for making "hateful" remarks and said this highlights the low the main opposition party has fallen.
In Delhi, Union minister Anurag Thakur demanded strict action against Hussain and said an apology should also be tendered.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "Such hateful comments highlight the low and shallowness to which the Congress' mindset has fallen".
Hussain said during his speech, he had spoken about the problems of unemployment, rising inflation, farmers issues in the country.
"I talked about how people are being divided on the basis of religion and the atmosphere in the country is being vitiated. I spoke about what happened in Gujarat when Modiji was the chief minister of that state. I was saying all this truth and then said a phrase which was not against our prime minister. It was just a phrase," he said.
Sheikh also questioned why no FIR has been filed against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.
"The whole country is demanding action in this case. So many people agitated and got jailed," he said.
Sheikh said this matter should also be looked into as not even an FIR has been filed so far.
Meanwhile, the BJP said in Nagpur that their lawyers are examining the FIR and the party will decide the future course of action accordingly.
Nagpur city BJP president Pravin Datke told PTI that their legal team is examining the IPC sections invoked against Hussain.
"We will help the police if they take proper action in this regard. If appropriate action is not taken, then a BJP delegation will meet the Nagpur police commissioner under the leadership of senior party leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule," he said.
Demanding action against the Congress leader, BJP spokesperson Chandan Goswami said one can protest in democracy but should refrain from using objectionable words and maintain the dignity of the Constitutional post of the prime minister.
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