Ex-MLA, Congress leader arrested for ‘derogatory comments’ on PM Modi on social media

In the first case, Tiwari, a former MLA from Sipat in undivided Madhya Pradesh, was arrested for having made “objectionable” remarks about the prime minister’s estranged wife Jashodaben while speaking about ‘Operation Sindoor’ on social media. Tiwari, who is no longer with the Congress, was booked under sections section 296 (obscene act) and 352 (intentional insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the back of a complaint registered on June 2.

“Tiwari was produced before a magistrate court Wednesday and has been remanded to judicial custody. He will be in jail till he is granted bail,” a police officer said.

In a similar but unrelated case, Congress leader Brijmohan Singh was arrested under sections 296 (obscene act) and 353 (public mischief) of the BNS for having posted “abusive comments” on Modi on social media. He has been remanded in judicial custody.

Reacting to the arrests, Sushil Anand Shukla, the communications head for the Congress in Chhattisgarh said: “Arun Tiwari is no longer with the Congress party. Brijmohan ji is a good leader and I do not believe he can use such words. It is either a misunderstanding or it is a conspiracy by the BJP”.

The development comes less than a month after Operation Sindoor — India’s retaliatory strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attacks in which 26 people, including a resident of Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, was killed.