Mumbai (PTI): Navi Mumbai police in Maharashtra have registered an FIR against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane for allegedly using the word 'Dalit' while speaking to a news channel, an official said on Monday.

A complaint against the Kankavli MLA was lodged by a lawyer last week.

The complainant came across a video of Nitesh Rane's interview with a regional news channel on YouTube in which he used the word 'Dalit', whose usage is prohibited by the Centre government on August 7, 2018, the FIR stated.

The case was registered under sections 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 153 B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), and 295 A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said.

Police have also invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act. The offence was registered on orders of the court, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

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Patna (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Tuesday exuded confidence that the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC will again be voted to power in West Bengal.

Yadav returned to Patna after a four-day poll campaign in West Bengal.

“The atmosphere there is euphoric and people want to bring Didi (Mamata Banerjee) back to power. I am fully confident that the TMC will win the election,” he told reporters here.

He said that a large number of people from Bihar living in West Bengal share a lot of love and respect for Mamata Banerjee.

Responding to BJP’s allegations that the TMC had “ruined” West Bengal during its tenure, the RJD leader said the “entire country has been ruined under the Narendra Modi-led government”.

“I want to ask one question to Modi ji – you have been prime minister for more than 11 years, tell me one thing you have done for Bengal,” Yadav said.

The first phase of elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.