Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said insult of national icons will not be tolerated and said that police will collect voice samples of right-wing activist Manohar alias Sambhaji Bhide for his alleged controversial remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, reported PTI.
Speaking at the Assembly, Fadnavis added that a case will be filed against Congress mouthpiece ‘Shidori’ for objectionable writings against Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.
“A case has been filed against Sambhaji Bhide by the Amravati police. Insult to national icons will not be tolerated,” said Fadnavis, who handles the Home Ministry.
“Bhide made an activist (of his outfit) read the controversial portion from a book ‘The Koran and the Fakir’. No recording of that meeting is available hence police will take voice samples (of Bhide),” Fadnavis said.
An FIR was registered against Bhide, the founder of the Shri Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan outfit, for allegedly making offensive remarks about Mahatma Gandhi’s lineage while addressing a gathering at Bharat Mangal Hall in the Badnera Road area of Amravati on Thursday during his Vidarbha tour. Bhide is yet to be arrested.
Congress legislators on Wednesday demanded action against Bhide for his alleged controversial remarks against Mahatma Gandhi.
The issue of Bhide’s remarks on Mahatma Gandhi was raised in the assembly by Congress MLA Prithviraj Chavan who demanded a motion of condemnation be admitted. However, Speaker Rahul Narwekar rejected this demand.