Manipur BJP lodges police complaints over ‘abusive language’ hurled against PM, Amit Shah

Imphal: The BJP’s Manipur unit on Tuesday said the party lodged a police complaint over alleged “abusive language” used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Congress’ Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar last week.

The saffron party’s state unit also filed a separate complaint against TMC MP Mahua Moitra for her alleged derogatory comment on Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Addressing a press conference, Manipur BJP general secretary K Saratkumar said, "We have lodged a complaint against a leader who abused the deceased mother of the Prime Minister, who had no relations with politics. Such a remark against the mother of a country's prime minister is unheard of in any civilised country."

A purported video showed a person using a Hindi expletive against Modi’s mother from a dais raised during the yatra in Darbhanga town, from where Rahul Gandhi, her sister Priyanka Vadra and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had left for Muzaffarpur on motorcycles on August 27. The accused was arrested two days later.

Saratkumar said the party has also filed a police complaint against the TMC’s Krishnanagar MP.

"Mitra's statements against a country's home minister are condemnable and uncalled for. It has the potential to trigger violence anywhere in the country. We have lodged an FIR against her for her remarks," he said.

Moitra recently sparked a political firestorm after allegedly saying that if Amit Shah fails to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, "the first thing you should do is cut Amit Shah's head and put it on your table."

Saratkumar also said a separate complaint was lodged against the state Congress’ OBC department chairperson, Sakir Ahmed, for a social media post in which he allegedly said the BJP-RSS is trying to create communal riots between Meiteis and Muslims in the state as the election is nearing.

"We strongly condemn such statements from the Congress. We are more eager than the Congress to form a government (in the state)," the BJP leader said.

The Centre has imposed President’s Rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned in February. At least 260 people have been killed and thousands have become homeless in ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023 in the state.

"The Congress does not want a solution to the conflict in the state. They want chaos and unrest to continue and get into the elections," Saratkumar alleged.

To a query on media reports over the Prime Minister’s visit to Manipur, he said, "We are yet to receive any official directive on that."