Lucknow: An FIR was registered against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi in Uttar Pradesh after he allegedly called Prime Minister Narendra Modi “anti-national” during a protest over electricity supply issues and challenged authorities in Mahoba district to take action against him.
Mahoba Kotwali police lodged the case at 2.05 am on Tuesday based on a complaint by BJP district media in-charge Satyendra Pratap Gupta. According to police, sections 132, 189(2), 352 and 196(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have been invoked against Lodhi.
Besides calling the Prime Minister a “desh-virodhi (anti-national)”, the Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur also questioned Modi’s foreign visits and said the country had never seen such a leader before, PTI reported.
Lodhi made the remarks at a demonstration outside the district collectorate on Monday, blocking traffic for nearly an hour. SP leaders were out to submit a memorandum to the Governor over issues such as power cuts, installation of smart metres and rising inflation.
A purported video of the incident, which surfaced on social media, showed Lodhi using objectionable language against PM Modi.
Lodi, who addressed supporters, challenged the administration to register a case against him.
“File the case if you want. We are not afraid,” he said.
Gupta stated in his complaint that Lodhi’s remarks against the Prime Minister hurt public sentiments and disturbed the atmosphere.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath described the comments as “unpardonable”.
