Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Raja Pateria came out of jail after spending 80 days for a remark made regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 69 year old politician was arrested on December 13 last year after a video surfaced where he could be heard telling Congress workers at a meeting in Pawai in Madhya Pradesh: “Be ready to kill Modi. Kill in the sense of defeating him… Modi will end elections. Modi will divide on the basis of religion, caste and language. The future of Dalits, tribes and minorities is in danger. If you want to save the Constitution, then be ready to kill Modi. Kill in the sense of defeating him.”
The Madhya Pradesh High Court released Pateria on bail on 4 March. The police said they had completed their probe and filed a chargesheet.
“I am against the caste system. But the BJP follows the principles of Godse, Savarkar and Golwalkar. I had spoken with the intention of safeguarding our Constitution and defending the rights of tribals, Dalits and minorities in the country,” the Congress leader said to Indian Express.
“They jailed me to threaten me as I was one of the leaders raising a voice against them and I have a stronghold among the Dalits and minorities,” he said.
He went on to say: “I want to ask why BJP leaders are never arrested for openly talking about Hindu Rashtra in their speeches. Is this not unconstitutional? They misuse religion and get sadhus to make controversial statements, but no action is taken.”
