State Aam Aadmi Party chief Gopal Italia has been booked for using abusive words against BJP state president CR Paatil and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. Italia has been charged with tarnishing the reputation of Gujarat BJP by stating that its “goons’ ‘ were behind the attack on AAP leader Manoj Sorathiya in Surat city recently.
However, a defiant Italia in his public speech roared stressing the BJP may do whatever it wants till the Gujarat elections are over. “After the elections, AAP will avenge every drop of blood”.
In his public speech, Italia called CR Paatil, “bootlegger” and referred to Harsh Sanghavi as “drugs Sanghavi”. He added, “BJP is a party of goons.”
Meanwhile, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi reacted to Italia’s remarks related to drug seizures in Gujarat. He said, “We all know which state is the drug capital of the world and whose government is in power there.”
Surat BJP worker Pratapbhai Chovadiya, a resident of Kapodara, who runs a jewellery shop, with Umra police station filed a complaint against Italia. The complaint was filed against Italia after his video of a public address in Surat came to notice. On Aug 31, he was addressing people following the attack on AAP general secretary Manoj Sorathiya at Ganesh Pandal in Simada. Here, the state AAP chief was heard using abusive words against Paatil and Sanghavi. The complainant stated that Italia resorted to attacking the BJP without any proof of the ruling party’s role in the Sorathiya case.
The AAP members had accused the role of BJP workers of attacking Sorathiya, who had to be admitted to a Surat hospital for head injuries. The attack is under investigation by Umara police station inspector AH Rajput.
Reacting to this, AAP National Joint General Secretary Isudan Gadhvi told Vibes of India “BJP is resorting to violent ways to win Gujarat elections. Today they are beating and accusing us, tomorrow they will threaten aam janta. This is the terror of BJP.”
The FIR stated Italia defamed “politically respectful people and also provoked people” to gather outside Kapodra police station in Surat to lodge FIRs against BJP workers for the attack on Sorathiya, despite knowing that such an act will affect public peace.
The FIR was registered under sections 500 (defamation), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1)(b) (offending act inducing person to commit an offence against state or public tranquillity), and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) of the Indian Penal Code.
