NAGPUR: A police complaint has been filed against Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole after a video clip of him surfaced, in which he can be heard saying that he can “hit Modi”.
The remark sparked protests from BJP, prompting party MLC Chandrashekhar Bawankule to file the complaint. Patole later clarified that he was talking about a village goon named Modi, not the PM.
But BJP wasn’t convinced. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the party’s youth wing, burnt an effigy of Pato-le and demanded his arrest for his remarks that it alleged were targeted at the PM. BJYM members gathered near Cotton Market in Nagpur and displayed placards and banners against Patole.
They shouted pro-Modi slogans-. “Patole has insulted our leader and the PM of this country. Such statements are unacceptable and won’t be tolerated,” said Shivani Dani Wakhare, pradesh mahamantri of BJYM.
After filing the complaintat Kuhi police station, Bawankule said Patole’s remarks were unforgivable. “Look at the words. . . Patole said he can hit Modi and used expletives against the PM. His statements may rouse troublemakers and threaten the safety and security of the PM. ”
Clarifying in a video that he released after the controversy, Patole said he never meant the PM. “You have all seen the video in which I am surrounded by a lot of people and this was during an election campaign trail. There, people were complaining to me about a goon called Modi and asked for help.
So, I said I can hit that goon if he troubles citizens. My statement was regarding the troublemaker from a village, not the PM,” he said.
