New Delhi, October 13
The Gujarat chief of Aam Aadmi Party, Gopal Italia, was on Thursday detained by Delhi police over disruption in law and order situation at the office of the National Commission for Women, where Italia appeared in person over an old video where he is heard making remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rekha Sharma, chairperson of the NCW, had summoned Italia for using “abusive and indecent language” against the PM and said that his comment was “gender biased, misogynist and condemnable”.
After Italia appeared before her in person amid massive protests by AAP Delhi workers, Sharma said the AAP leader verbally claimed that he was not the person in the video in a verbal statement but in writing he said he did not mean what was contained in the video.
Even as Italia was still appearing before NCW, AAP supporters gathered outside the NCW office protested and attempted to barge into the commission building because of which the police had to be called to control the situation.
NCW officials said Italia was detained by the police, after he had appeared before the Commission, for “creating disruptions in law and order in the area”.
AAP leadership was quick to seek political mileage of the detention.
Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “The Patel community of Gujarat is enraged at the detention of Gopal Italia.”
गोपाल इटालिया की गिरफ़्तारी से पूरे गुजरात के पटेल समाज में भारी रोष है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 13, 2022
Raghav Chadha, AAP co incharge for Gujarat, where elections are due soon, tweeted pictures of Italia’s detention and said, “Gopal Italia is the descendant of Sardar Patel. He is not afraid of jail.”
गोपाल इटालिया सरदार पटेल का वंशज है, तुम्हारी जेल से नहीं डरता#ISupportGopalItalia pic.twitter.com/xrBIu32vR8
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) October 13, 2022
AAP is emerging as a major challenger to the incumbent BJP in Gujarat, with Kejriwal having intensified his campaign in the state over recent days.
BJP’s IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya had on Sunday tweeted a video where Italia is heard calling PM Modi a “neech aadmi” (lowly person).
NCW’s notice to Italia followed the viral video.
“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 in its October 9 notice to Italia said.
