Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 24 (ANI): The BJP in Himachal Pradesh has sought an FIR from Shimla Police against Congress leader Pawan Khera for his derogatory remarks for Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The chief spokesperson and MLA of BJP HP, Rakesh Jamwal, on Monday accused Congress leader Pawan Khera of using "indecent and unparliamentary language" against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said his party had approached the Shimla police seeking registration of an FIR.
"Whether it is the Union Home Minister or anyone holding a constitutional post, such unparliamentary language should not be used. The words chosen by Pawan Khera, including 'aukaat', 'bhagoda' and 'tadipaar' are objectionable," Jamwal said while speaking to ANI in Shimla.
A BJP delegation comprising Jamwal, MLAs Satpal Singh Satti, DS Thakur and Dileep Thakur submitted a written complaint addressed to the Shimla Superintendent of Police through the Additional SP, seeking legal action against Khera.
Jamwal said political differences and criticism were part of democracy, but alleged that Khera had crossed the limits of political decency by making personal and derogatory remarks against the Union Home Minister.
"We have submitted a complaint to the Shimla police and demanded that an FIR be registered against him. We have also collected evidence and will provide the police with the relevant material," Jamwal said.
He said the BJP had requested the police to examine the matter under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other applicable legal provisions. The party, he added, would provide videos, social media posts and other electronic evidence relating to the alleged remarks.
The BJP has also sought preservation and examination of the original and unedited video and audio recordings and social media material to establish the complete context of Khera's statement.
"If the investigation establishes the ingredients of a cognisable offence, an FIR should be registered and appropriate legal action initiated," Jamwal said.
Linking the controversy to the ongoing political dispute over Vande Mataram, Jamwal alleged that the Congress was behaving as if it was above the law.
He said a law had been enacted after being passed by both Houses of Parliament, but alleged that the Congress was "considering itself above the law". He said Khera's remarks came in response to comments made by the Union Home Minister over the Congress Working Committee's decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram.
Jamwal said the BJP's objection in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly was also limited to seeking clarification from the Speaker on whether the national song would be sung after the national anthem.
He said that on August 15, Vande Mataram was sung before the national anthem at district headquarters across the country, including in Himachal Pradesh, and the BJP expected a similar sequence during the Assembly session.
"Before the House even began, the Chief Minister had said that only two stanzas would be sung," Jamwal said, adding that the BJP had wanted the matter to be decided by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.
Jamwal also accused the Congress of running a campaign against BJP MLAs over the national anthem controversy in the Assembly.
He said all members, whether from the ruling party or the Opposition, had stood and sung the national anthem with full respect inside the House.
"We all sang the national anthem with full respect, whether we were from the ruling side or the Opposition. The kind of propaganda carried out by the Congress party over this is extremely unfortunate," he said.
Jamwal also appealed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, as the head of the state government and a constitutional office-holder, to avoid political controversy over issues relating to national symbols.
The BJP's complaint now seeks police scrutiny of Khera's alleged remarks, preservation of digital evidence and registration of an FIR if the investigation establishes a cognisable offence. (ANI)
BJP seeks FIR against Pawan Khera over 'derogatory' remarks against Amit Shah
