Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole prompts controversy after a news clip showed him saying “I can hit Modi and abuse him”.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated the clip making a slanting reference to the Prime Minister’s recent security breach in Punjab. Patole has, however, clarified that the video clip where he is speaking in Marathi is actually a reference to a local goon who shares the surname of the Prime Minister.
“I have been in politics for the last 30 years. In five years, a politician can provide for an entire generation. By building schools and colleges, they can provide for two generations. I don’t own even one school and nor have I taken any contract from anyone. I help whoever comes to me for help. That’s why I can hit Modi and abuse him,” Patole was heard saying in the now-controversial video clip.
The Congress was quick to issue a clarification saying the Maharashtra state party chief was not referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but some local goon who shares his surname. People in Patole’s constituency were complaining about a local goon who is known as Modi, Congress Maharashtra general secretary Atul Londhe Patil mentioned it on Twitter, adding that “whatever Patole said it was about him and not about honourable PM Narendra Modiji”. The Congress party has issued a clarification stating that Nana Patole was talking about a local goon called Gopanrav Modi and not Narendra Modi.
A day after the controversial statement of Maharashtra Congress State President Nana Patole on PM Narendra Modi, BJP leaders and workers agitated against Patole. In the western suburbia, BJP MLA Sunil Rane and his activists shouted slogans against Patole outside the Borivali railway station. Even Women supporters were shouting belligerently against Nana Patole. They were throwing sandals on Patole’s poster condemning his coarse behaviour. BJP workers demand an FIR against him. The Mumbai BJP warned of indefinite agitation if Nana Patole does not apologize for what he said.
Meanwhile, Poonawalla’s allegation is in line with several BJP leaders’ assertion that there was a sinister conspiracy behind the security breach, though the state government has rubbished such allegations. The Congress government in Punjab has also appointed a high-level panel to probe the alleged security breach. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had last week called it a “pre-planned and sponsored conspiracy”.
