Second Opposition candidate faces sedition case, Cong’s Ajay Rai booked

In the Bijnor case too, in which police registered an FIR against SP-RLD candidate Dr Neeraj Chaudhary, the complainant was a police personnel. Police said there were allegations that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans had been raised by supporters during a rally by Chaudhary. A well-respected doctor of the area, he has denied the allegation.

No one has been arrested so far in either case.

Police action against Rai followed a complaint by the BJP to the Election Commission, seeking his arrest.

Rai, who contested the 2017 election also from Pindra and lost to the BJP’s Avadhesh Singh, had earlier contested unsuccessfully against Modi from Varanasi in the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections.

According to police, Sub-Inspector Ram Krishna Yadav had filed a complaint that on January 31, Rai held a public meeting in Pindra without obtaining permission. And that during his address, he told people: “Aap log namak rakhey rakhna, March 7, 2022, ko Modi vah Yogi ko khanke gaad diya jayega (Be ready with salt, on March 7 we will bury Modi and Yogi).”

Yadav said the remarks were meant to create enmity between people and disturb law and order, and that a four-member team had conducted an inquiry and concluded that an FIR should be lodged. Police also found violation of the model code of conduct and Covid-19 protocols at Rai’s meeting, states the FIR.

Circle Officer, Pindra, Abhishek Kumar Pandey said they had a video of Rai’s speech with the objectionable statement. He said they had acted on the basis of an inquiry by a team formed by the returning officer. “The video will be sent to a (forensic) laboratory for examination,” he added.

The FIR has been lodged under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot).

Denying the allegations, Rai said: “People have complained that salt distributed from the fair price shops was not of good quality. People were falling ill after having it. I told people to collect it, and bury them (the BJP) on March 7, which is voting day… A deliberate misinterpretation was done that I said something about the PM and CM.”

Belonging to the Bhumihar community, Rai has considerable following in the area among Brahmins and Bhumihars. He began his political career with the BJP, and was elected thrice from Varanasi as BJP MLA. He left the party in 2009, contested the Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket, and finished third. The seat was won by Murli Manohar Joshi at the time. The same year, he contested Assembly bypolls from the Kolasla constituency as an Independent and won.

In 2012, he joined the Congress on the intervention of then AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh. After the delimitation of the constituency, Rai won the 2012 Assembly elections from Pindra constituency on a Congress ticket.