Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has been charged with sedition for writing an 'objectional' article against Prime Minister Modi in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', as claimed in the complaint by BJP Yavatmal convener Nitin Bhutad. The article was published on December 11. Raut has now been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Raut has been vociferous in his criticism against PM Modi and the BJP government at the Centre and several articles critising the Modi government are often published in 'Saamana'.
Recently in his column 'Rokhthok', Raut claimed that the BJP high command left no opportunity to humiliate Shivraj Singh in his home turf in Madhya Pradesh, adding that the aim of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was not to defeat Congress but eliminate Chouhan.
The case was registered on Monday at Umarkhed police station. "We have registered the case as per the complaint and will conduct a probe into it," an official told PTI.
He said the case was registered against Raut under IPC sections 124 (A) (sedition), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes).
Reacting to the case, Raut said Union Home Minster Amit Shah made remarks against former PM Pandit Nehru and asked if a case would be filed against him as well.
"We have respect for PM Narendra Modi...Amit Shah made remarks on Former PM Jawaharlal Nehru a few days earlier, will a case get registered against him? We have democracy in this country and many politicians give statements. If people would register cases against it, then they don't have the right to say that they fought against emergency," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, quoted ANI.
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