Case against AAP Gujarat chief for tweet claiming Rs 830 cr spent on PM's 'Mann ki Baat' programme
Ahmedabad (PTI): Police have registered a case against Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi for allegedly claiming through a tweet that the Centre has so far spent Rs 830 crore of the taxpayers' money on 100 episodes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme, an official said on Monday.
The case was registered on Saturday after it was found that Gadhvi made the claim without any relevant data to support it, he said.
While the tweet has been deleted by Gadhvi, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was harassing its leaders through such "false" FIRs.
The 100th episode of PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address was broadcast on Sunday.
On April 28, Gadhvi in a tweet claimed, "One episode of Mann Ki Baat costs Rs 8.3 crore! Which means that the Centre has spent Rs 830 crore on 100 episodes so far. This is too much. BJP workers should register their protest, because mostly they listen to this programme."
Taking cognisance of the tweet, the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch registered an FIR against Gadhvi on April 29 under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime, JM Yadav said at a press conference.
The case against Gadhvi was registered under various IPC sections including 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 500 (defamation), 505(1)(b)and(c) (publishing rumour or report with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public, or inciting people to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquility) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), he said.
"Police are the complainant on behalf of the government. The FIR was registered on April 29 at the Cyber Crime Branch after it was found that Gadhvi had tweeted against 'Mann Ki Baat' without any reliable data to back his claim. We will gather evidence and then proceed further. He has not been arrested yet," Yadav said.
On Sunday, the PIB Fact Check Twitter handle tagged a screenshot of Gadhvi's tweet and said the AAP leader's claim that Rs 830 crore was spent on 'Mann Ki Baat' was "misleading".
"This Claim is Misleading. Rs 8.3 cr is the total figure of ads for Mann ki Baat till said date, not for a single episode. Tweet assumes each episode is supported by ads. Which is false," the PIB Fact Check tweeted.
AAP's national joint secretary and former Gujarat party chief Gopal Italia claimed the case against Gadhvi was registered on false charges.
"Gadhvi has been booked over a tweet. This shows how the BJP fears AAP. The BJP and its government have repeatedly lodged false FIRs against us to stop and break us. But, we will continue to fight," said Italia.
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BJP workers protest Bengaluru event on Umar Khalid, taken into preventive custody
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP workers, led by former Bengaluru Mayor M Gautham Kumar, staged a protest outside the heavily fortified BIC in the city on Tuesday ahead of an event.
The editors of the book “Umar Khalid and His World” have planned a reading of excerpts from the book at the venue, followed by a discussion involving several “historians and intellectuals”.
The BJP activists raised slogans demanding the cancellation of the event. They attempted to enter the venue by breaking through the barricades put up by the police.
Police personnel deployed at the spot took the BJP workers into preventive custody.
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The party had on Monday petitioned Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh seeking cancellation of the event organised in support of activist Umar Khalid.
A delegation of BJP leaders led by Bengaluru Central MP P C Mohan met the commissioner and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
Khalid is currently in jail in connection with allegations of conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots.
In a post on ‘X’ earlier in the day, the Karnataka BJP alleged that while courts are still hearing cases related to anti-national activities, the Congress-backed ecosystem is busy glorifying individuals who aim to divide Bharat.
“Why is Bengaluru being turned into a hub for celebrating such elements? Is this the ‘cultural contribution’ the Siddaramaiah government wants to promote? Our city is a land of innovators and patriots, not a playground for the ‘Tukde Tukde’ (divisive) narrative,” it alleged.
The Supreme Court on April 20 dismissed Khalid’s plea seeking review of a verdict denying him bail, observing that there are reasonable grounds to believe the allegations against him in connection with the conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.
The court had earlier said there was a prima facie case against Khalid and Sharjeel Imam (another accused) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), noting that prosecution material suggests their involvement in the “planning, mobilisation, and strategic direction” of the riots.
The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi broke out during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), leaving 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
