Gujarat AAP chief appears before NCW, detained by Delhi Police for 2.5 hrs

AAP Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia was on Thursday detained for more than 2.5 hours by the Delhi Police after he appeared before NCW in connection with his alleged comments against PM Narendra Modi

AAP Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia was on Thursday detained for more than 2.5 hours by the Delhi Police after he appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in connection with his alleged comments against PM Narendra Modi amid protests by party members outside the women's panel's office here.

Italia claimed that he was "threatened and treated indecently" by NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma after he appeared before her "as he is a Patidar and his community members have come out in support of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party" ahead of the elections.

The NCW chief denied the allegations, saying Italia was given "enough time" to reply on his abusive tweet but his oral and written statements were completely contradictory.

 

According to senior police officials, a complaint was received claiming Italia's supporters were creating ruckus outside the NCW building following which a team of police reached the spot and detained him.

Italia, who was later released by police, made the allegations at a press conference.

Reacting to police action against the AAP leader, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Italia's detention had triggered massive anger in the Patel community across Gujarat.

Taking to Twitter, the AAP national convenor also asked why "entire BJP" was after Italia. He later said the Delhi Police was "forced to release" Italia following pressure from the people of Gujarat.

Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia termed Italia's detention as "BJP politics" and alleged that he had been "detained because he belonged to a party that knew how to transform schools".

"I am yet to receive any notice from the commission but I came here to put forth my version before the NCW chief because I am a law abiding citizen.After I reached the NCW office, they first refused to allow my lawyer to accompany me even as I pointed out that the Constitution provides everybody citizen right to get legal assistance," Italia told reporters after he was released by police.

The AAP leader claimed that after he entered the NCW chief's office, "with all arrogance, she told me that I was so ill-mannered and started threatening me that she would send me to jail.I was treated in a very indecent and cheap manner, scolded and intimidated a lot."

The NCW chief had summoned Italia for using "abusive and indecent language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a purported video and noting that his comment was "gender biased, misogynist and condemnable".

Rejecting Italia's allegations, the NCW chairperson said, "Italia was given enough time to reply on his abusive tweet but his oral and written statements were completely contradictory. He also refused to accept that the video concerned is his and insisted that it could have been edited."

However, in his written submission, he did not deny his association with the video and stated that the alleged word could imply anything and in no sense can be attributed to be derogatory to women, she added.

An NCW official said the commission had to rush to arrange a translator to record Italia's statement as he started speaking in Gujarati in the middle of the hearing.

After the hearing, the police detained Italia, drawing flak from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"With the arrest of Gopal Italia, there is massive anger in the Patel community across Gujarat," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Why is the entire BJP after Gopal Italia?" he asked in another post on the micro-blogging site.

While NCW officials said the AAP's Gujarat chief was detained for "creating a situation that disrupted law and order in the area", a senior Delhi Police officer, while confirming his detention, did not divulge further details.

During the hearing, the AAP supporters protesting outside tried to enter the NCW building and police had to be called to restrain them, an official of the women's rights body said.

"Those who are detaining Gopal Italia have only that much understanding of politics. They don't know how to improve(standards of) schools, teach students.

"They couldn't make even one amazingschool while being in government for the last 27 years," Sisodia said at a press conference when asked for comment on Italia's detention.

"They arrested Gopal Italia because he comes from a party that knows reforming schools, rest is nothing but politics," he charged.

The BJP's IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya had on Sunday shared a video on Twitter where Italia could be heard calling PM Modi a "neech aadmi" (lowly person) following which the NCW took cognisance of the comment.

"An indecent word for the prime minister is also an insult to the women of our country. The abusive language used by you is gender biased, misogynistic and extremely shameful, condemnable and unbecoming of you," the NCW had said in its summons issued on October 9.

The AAP on Monday defended its Gujarat unit chief over his alleged remarks and hit back at the BJP, saying it was using an old video to target Italia now as he hailed from a poor family and belonged to the Patidaar community.

Launching a counter attack, the AAP also shared a purported video of BJP MP Parvesh Verma in which he could be heard using certain derogatory words against Kejriwal and demanded that the saffron party either clarify its stand on the remarks or take action against him.