New Delhi: Gopal Italia, Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat Chief was released three hours after he was detained by Delhi police from the National Commission of Women's office on Thursday over a controversial video in which he was allegedly using derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to reporters, Italia said, "I'm yet to receive any notice from the (National Women's) commission but I came here to put forth my version before its chief because I'm a law abiding citizen. When I arrived, the Commission barred my lawyer from accompanying me even as I pointed out that the Constitution guarantees right to legal assistance for everyone."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Gopal Italia's detention had triggered a massive anger in the Patel community across Gujarat. Kejriwal, in a tweet, wondered why the entire BJP was after Italia. He later attributed the pressure from people of Gujarat for the "Delhi Police's decision to release Italia". Deputy CM Manish Sisodia slammed Italia's detention as "BJP politics" and charged that he had been "detained because he belonged to a party that knew how to transform schools".
Earlier, the AAP workers protested outside the office of the NCW chairperson who had summoned Italia in connection with a video where he was purportedly seen using derogatory language for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was taken away in a police car minutes after he claimed Rekha Sharma, NCW chief, threatened to send him to jail.
Sharma had summoned Italia for using "abusive & indecent language" against PM Modi and said his comment was "gender biased, misogynist & condemnable". She told reporters after the hearing that Italia had claimed that he was not the person in the video in a verbal statement. However, in his written response, he said he did not mean it.
Also read: Gujarat: AAP state chief Gopal Italia's old video shows him urging women not to visit temples
While Italia's hearing was going on, AAP supporters protesting outside tried to enter the NCW building and police had to be called to restrain them, a NCW official said. According to the official, Italia was detained after the hearing for "creating a situation that disrupted law and order in the area".
BJP's IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya had on Sunday shared a video on Twitter where Italia could be heard calling PM Modi a "neech aadmi" (lowly person) following which the NCW took cognisance. "An indecent word for 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 had said in its summons issued on October 9.
