Bhopal, June 30 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Congress on Monday announced to stage a massive protest on June 8 for an FIR registered against state unit chief Jitu Patwari, which has been lodged against him (Patwari) in Ashoknagar district.

Alleging that the FIR against Patwari was registered to hide the failure district administration and deteriorating law and order in the state, the Congress claimed the BJP attempts to suppress the opposition’s voice.

“We will wait till June 7, and if the FIR against Jitu Patwari is not cancelled, the Congress workers will start a massive protest on June 8. Congress workers will gather at police stations and the Ashoknagar district administration office,” said Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh on Monday.

On Monday, Congress workers held a protest outside the Divisional Commissioner’s office in Indore. Carrying the party’s flags and banners, over 500 Congress workers shouted slogans against the BJP government and demanded the withdrawal of the FIR against Patwari.

FIR was registered against Patwari in Mungaoli police station of Ashoknagar district on Friday after a video went viral in which a youth identified as Raghuraj Lodhi claimed that the village Sarpanch and his son beat his brother Gajraj Lodhi and forced him to eat human faeces.

Based on the video, Jitu Patwari had questioned the law-and-order situation in the state, alleging that Dalits were deliberately being targeted under the BJP government.

He had also spoken Ashoknagar district collector and SP and had demanded action against the accused persons. However, on Friday, Gajraj Lodhi (who was allegedly beaten up) filed an affidavit before the district collector of Ashoknagar in which he said that the Jitu Patwari had enticed him falsely that he was fed faeces.

Following which, an FIR was registered against Jitu Patwari, and he was booked under Sections 61(2) criminal conspiracy, 196(1)(a) promoting enmity, 197(1)(c) assertion causing disharmony and hatred, 229(2) fabricating false evidence, 237 false declaration, and 353(1)(c) mischief of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Several senior BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP chief V. D. Sharma and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia have criticised Jitu Patwari, alleging that the Congress was trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state by spreading lies.

–IANS

pd/dan