Congress leader Raja Pateria from Madhya Pradesh was arrested on Tuesday over his controversial remark “be ready to kill” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A video of him provoking a group of people to “kill” PM Modi to saveguard the Constitution was made viral over the internet that redulted into a wide outrage.
At a gathering of party workers Mr Pateria was heard saying, “Modi will end elections, Modi will divide on the basis of religion, caste, language; the lives of Dalits, tribals, and minorities are in danger. If the constitution is to be saved, then be ready to kill Modi.”
After the event the Madhya Pradesh government soon filed a police case against the former state minister.
On Monday the case was filed against Mr Pateria and today he was arrested from his residence in Damoh district.
Meanwhile, the MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also criticised the statement along with a target on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “The real face of those pretending to do a Bharat Jodo Yatra is coming out,” he said.
“Congress people are not able to compete with PM Narendra Modi in the field, that’s why a Congress leader is talking about killing him. This is the height of hatred. True feelings of Congress are being revealed. The law will take its course,” he further said.
Soon after the outrage, Mr Pateria in his response to the allegations said that the word “kill” meant “defeat”. He even said that he is a follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence ideology and PM Modi has to be defeated in order to safeguard the rights of the minorities.
The Congress also expressed its shock over the comments made by its party leader.
