Why is Congress Protesting Jitu Patwari's FIR?

Ashoknagar, July 8 (NationPress) On Tuesday, the Madhya Pradesh Congress organized a significant protest against an FIR filed against the party's state president Jitu Patwari concerning a controversial video he shared a few weeks back in Ashoknagar district.

The demonstration took place outside the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in Ashoknagar, drawing attendance from prominent leaders, including former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, former Union Minister Arun Yadav, and state in-charge Harish Choudhary.

The protest, dubbed 'Nayay Satyagraha', was set to begin between 12:30 pm and 1 pm but was delayed due to rigorous checks by the police.

All vehicles arriving at the protest site underwent thorough inspections, leading to frustration among some senior Congress leaders, who were seen disputing with police officers, accusing them of intentionally obstructing Congress supporters.

Despite the leaders' complaints, police maintained that the checks were standard procedure. Numerous Congress MLAs arrived at the venue in lengthy convoys.

The convoy of Madhya Pradesh Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar was halted by police while traveling between the Guna and Ashoknagar districts.

A video circulating on social media showed Singhar engaging in a heated exchange with police, questioning, 'Are we transporting mobs or missiles? Why this sudden crackdown by the police? Are they acting as the BJP's agents?'

Police responded that vehicle inspections were necessary for safety. The Congress demonstration commenced at Ashoknagar Old Mandi, featuring speeches from Jitu Patwari and other senior leaders, before marching towards the SP office.

Upon reaching the SP office, Congress members initiated a sit-in protest, demanding the withdrawal of the FIR against Jitu Patwari. The gathering persisted peacefully until 5 pm, with police attempting to persuade the leaders to disperse. However, the Congress leaders remained firm on their stance for a collective arrest.

Importantly, the FIR against state Congress president Jitu Patwari was registered at the Mungaoli police station of Ashoknagar district on June 29, following the viral video in which a youth named Raghuraj Lodhi alleged that the village Sarpanch and his son assaulted his brother, Gajraj Lodhi, and forced him to consume human feces.

In response to the video, Jitu Patwari criticized the law-and-order situation in the state, claiming that the BJP government was deliberately targeting Dalits.

An FIR was filed against Jitu Patwari, charging him under various sections, including 61(2) for criminal conspiracy, 196(1)(a) for promoting enmity, and others related to misinformation and public disorder.