Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Gujarat unit president Gopal Italia on Thursday appeared before the Delhi Police and the National Commission for Women (NCW) following his alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma had summoned Italia for using “derogatory and abusive language” in relation to an alleged video where Italia can be heard calling PM Modi a “neech aadmi”. Sharma said her remarks were “gender biased, anti-feminist and reprehensible”.
The NCW chief told reporters that Italia had claimed in an oral statement that he was not the person in the video. However, in his written reply, he said that he did not mean it. “His statement and written statement do not match. He hasn’t given a proper answer. I have also told the police that action should be taken against him as he was creating atmosphere to affect the law and order situation.
AAP supporters started a protest outside the NCW building and allegedly tried to enter the premises, reports PTI news agency. He said the police had to be called to stop him.
The BJP slammed the Kejriwal-led party over derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi, saying it was an “insult to the democratic process”. India and the state”.
Meanwhile, AAP defended its Gujarat party chief and said Italia is being targeted by the BJP over an old video as he comes from a poor family and belongs to the Patidar community. “You are so shocked by the fear of defeat in Gujarat that you are releasing an old video of our state president Gopal Italia, when he was not even a member of AAP, to target him now because he belongs to a poor family and He comes from the Patidar community. ,” AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh said in a press conference.
Sources in Delhi Police told CNN-News18 that Italia will be released and no FIR has been registered against him. “He has not even been taken into custody. Just a basic investigation is being done as Delhi Police has received an official complaint from NCW,” said sources.
Italia’s Checkered Pasta
However, the recent row is not the first time such an incident involving Italia, a former state government clerk posted in the office of the Dhanduka taluka sub-divisional magistrate under the Ahmedabad collectorate, was reported.
In 2017, Gopal Italia was brought into the national limelight when he threw a shoe at the then Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja, alleging corruption in the state government.
In the same year, he was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for allegedly posing as a police constable for calling Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and circulating audio clips of the conversation on social media. Italia once served as a police constable.
Upon his arrest, Italia claimed that he confirmed working as a clerk in the province (revenue) office of Dhanduka taluka after resigning as a police constable in 2015.
He was appointed as the Vice President of AAP for Gujarat in 2020. Later in the same year he was appointed as the state president of the party.
In 2021, Italia surrendered to the police in the presence of Delhi MLA Atishi in connection with an illegal gathering and a scuffle during a public meeting in Ahmedabad. An FIR was registered against Italia and three others after an alleged scuffle with the police at a public meeting. Three other accused had earlier surrendered before the police and were granted bail by the court. Italia’s anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a sessions court, following which he moved the high court.
In August this year, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) alleged that Gopal Italia and AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi used a minor boy for political gains and demanded legal action against them. “It is mentioned in the complaint that the minor has been recruited as an activist in the said political party and is being used for protest and child labor for political gains. The complaint further mentions that the minor has been used by the party to influence other people to join the party,” the child rights body said.
Recently, an FIR was registered against Gopal Italia for using derogatory language against Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil and minister Harsh Sanghvi during a rally in Surat.
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