Pawan Khera, Congress leader, was detained this week for apparently fumbling on the prime minister’s father’s name during a press conference
Pawan Khera was granted interim bail over alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday said he saluted the judiciary and was grateful that the apex court upheld his liberties.
Khera was arrested on Thursday by Assam Police in connection with an FIR over his remarks, a day of high drama that began with him being deplaned from a flight to Raipur and his party leaders protesting on the tarmac.
Khera had referred to the prime minister as “Narendra Gautamdas Modi” while criticising the government over the row involving the business conglomerate headed by Gautam Adani.
Modi’s full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi, with the middle name Damodardas standing for his father’s name, a common practice in many parts of the country.
The apparent flub led to strong condemnation from the BJP with its leaders accusing Khera of making fun of the prime minister and his late father.
The Congress leader, who was in the headlines this week for apparently fumbling on the prime minister’s father’s name during a press conference, was released on interim bail till February 28 by a Delhi court later in the evening on the directions of the Supreme Court.
Khera told reporters outside the Dwarka court after being released that the law had come to his rescue and he was grateful the apex court had upheld his liberties.
He was welcomed with garlands by party supporters outside the Dwarka court.
Speaking to the media, the Congress’ media department head said he saluted the judiciary of the country which had upheld his freedom of speech.
He said he along with his party was fighting the battle of truth for strengthening the country’s democracy.
Khera said he was not provided the reasons for his arrest or given a copy of the FIR in the matter. “I have deep faith in the judiciary and will not comment on its proceedings,” he said, adding that he had always respected the “majesty of the law”.
The Congress called the BJP’s behavior dictatorial Supriya Shrinate said, “Today senior Congress leaders were going from Delhi to Raipur by Indigo flight 6E-204. Everyone had boarded the flight, at the same time our leader @Pawankhera was asked to get off the flight. This is a dictatorial attitude. The dictator got ED raids done before the session and now he has come down to this kind of act.”
आज इंडिगो की फ्लाइट 6E-204 से कांग्रेस के वरिष्ठ नेता दिल्ली से रायपुर जा रहे थे।
सभी फ्लाइट में बैठ चुके थे, उसी वक्त हमारे नेता @Pawankhera जी को फ्लाइट से उतरने को कहा गया।
ये तानाशाही रवैया है।
तानाशाह ने अधिवेशन से पहले ED के छापे मरवाए और अब इस तरह की हरकत पर उतर आया। pic.twitter.com/WJTkivIHWa
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023
