The Congress leader and former state minister was the subject of a First Information Report (FIR) on Monday afternoon at Pawai police station in the Panna district for remarks he made disparaging the prime minister. Pateria has been charged with violating sections 451, 504, 505(1)(b), 505(1)(C), and 506 of the IPC.
Early this morning, he was taken into custody from his home in the Hatta in Damoh district.
Narottam Mishra, the state’s home minister, commanded the filing of an FIR against the Congress politician on Monday.
At a meeting of Mandalam Sector presidents hosted by the District Congress Committee on Sunday at the Powai Rest House, Pateria, a former Madhya Pradesh minister, allegedly made the contentious comments.
Pateria was heard claiming that PM Modi would “stop elections, divide people based on religion, and Dalits face the largest threat under his government” in the viral video. If you want to safeguard the Constitution, you should be prepared to kill Modi—in the sense of destroying him—as Pateria is heard saying.
Angered by his remarks, the BJP leaders urged Pateria’s immediate arrest as well as the most thorough investigation possible.
The BJP leaders wrote the following to the DGP: “A prominent Congress leader was seen in a video that quickly became popular on social media and other electronic platforms calling for the murder of the prime minister during an open address in the village of Panna. Such a call for the murder of the Prime Minister reveals a severe threat to national security as well as a plot to foment unrest in Madhya Pradesh.”
The letter went on to say that “this appears to be an attempt to develop a conspiracy to kill PM Modi and foster Naxalism in the state.”
In a clarifying video, Pateria stated, “I am a Gandhian, and Gandhians are not allowed to discuss the murder. Someone misread the video.”
“I intended to emphasise that we must defeat him in order to preserve the Constitution of this nation, save Dalits, tribal people, and end unemployment. My motive for the murder has been distorted, “Added Pateria.
