'Police assured to withdraw FIR against me', says MP Congress chief

Ashoknagar (Madhya Pradesh), July 8 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari, on Tuesday, claimed that Ashoknagar district police have assured him that an FIR lodged against him at the Mungaoli police station would be withdrawn after an investigation.

Patwari made this statement after calling off Congress' protest outside the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in the Ashoknagar district.

The protest named as 'Nyay Satyagraha' was organised to oppose an FIR against Patwari, which was registered in connection with a purported video on June 29.

"Police officers came to us and assured that the FIR lodged against me at Mungaoli police station would be withdrawn. Police also assured that they would check the circumstances in which the FIR was registered, and will be withdrawn," State Congress President told media persons.

The Congress leader, however, said that the FIR was registered under the instructions of the BJP-led state government.

"I have no animity with police personnel or administrative officials in Madhya Pradesh. Being the Opposition, Congress has the right to raise public issues. Police can take action against us (Congress) if we are wrong, but they (police) are supposed to be unbiased," Patwari added.

Targeting the state police and administrative officials, the Congress leader said that the manner in which police and administrative officials in Madhya Pradesh are harassing the Opposition members, it seems "they have forgotten service rule book" and they are "working as BJP's agent".

"The Congress workers will reach out to each of the officials and will handover a service rule book to them with folded hands in coming days. We have no intention to blame police or administrative officials, but they have forced us to do so," Patwari added.

Talking to media persons, he also claimed that more than 50,000 Congress workers and leaders participated in the protest held at the SP office in Ashoknagar on Tuesday.

"Today's protest was a message for BJP government that the Congress workers are ready to oppose draconian rule of the BJP," he added.

Heavy police personnel were deployed to ensure the law and order situation in the district.

Police also carried an extensive checking of vehicles moving towards the protest venue, which irritated the Congress leaders, and they were seen arguing with the police personnel.

An FIR against Patwari was registered in Mungaoli police station of Ashoknagar district on June 29 after a video went viral in which a youth identified as Raghuraj Lodhi claimed that the village sarpanch and his son beat his brother Gajraj Lodhi and forced him to eat human faeces.

Patwari was booked under Sections 61(2) criminal conspiracy, 196(1)(a) promoting enmity, 197(1)(c) assertion causing disharmony and hatred, 229(2) fabricating false evidence, 237 false declarations, and 353(1)(c) mischief under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

--IANS

pd/khz