Guna (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 28 : After FIR registered against Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari, Union Minister Jyotiaditya Scindia on Saturday criticised him, saying that such incidents insult the dignity of the post.
The case was registered against Patwari for allegedly inducing a man to make false claims about 'feeding faeces' in Ashoknagar district, a police officer said.
Speaking to reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district, Scindia said, "The party whose value and principle is to lie and always make comments against the nation within the country and abroad, what can be expected from it? An attempt to discredit the good governance government and that too by giving a bribe. Such a disgusting act by a person (Jitu Patwari), whose responsibility lies with the entire state. I believe nothing could be more despicable than this. Such incidents insult the dignity of the post."
"We strive to bring the spirit of core values and principles into public service and politics. But if the one who is the state chief engages in such actions, what kind of example is he setting for his party workers? Perhaps, this reflects the true basic principles of the Congress party. They are not concerned about the development of the region, state or the country; instead discrediting the region, state and nation within the country as well as outside has become the schooling of the Congress party," the Union Minister said.
"Probably that is why the people have placed the Congress where it belongs and that is exactly where it will remain, now and in the future," he added.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president VD Sharma said, "The law is the same for everyone. Be it Jitu Patwari or any other, whether it is the ruling party or any other party, the law is the same for all, so the law cannot be changed for you. Jitu Patwari, there are serious allegations of manipulation against you. Is it normal to lie and create a bad atmosphere in society?... Speak only the truth, when the law works, it is not a sin but justice. The law does its job, the law does not work under anyone's pressure."
Earlier, Superintendent of Police (SP, Ashoknagar) Vineet Jain said, "On June 26 evening, Gajraj Lodhi, a resident of Mundra village under the jurisdiction of Mungaoli police station met Ashoknagar collector personally and gave him an affidavit in which he stated that some Congress leaders had taken him to Orchha on June 25 where he met with Congress chief Jitu Patwari. After that, Patwari took him aside, asked him to speak about being fed faeces and also gave him some temptation for the purpose."
"Gajraj Lodhi spoke about being fed faeces in front of Jitu Patwari. Nonetheless, Lodhi later stated that the allegation of feeding faeces was incorrect, and he had made the statement under Jitu Patwari's persuasion. In contrast, no incident like feeding faeces happened to him," the SP said.
Based on the affidavit of Lodhi, which he submitted on June 26, a case was registered against Jitu Patwari and his associates under the relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sahita (BNS) at Mungaoli police station on June 27, and investigation into the matter is underway, he added.