Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh’s erstwhile minister Raja Pateria was placed under arrest on Tuesday for his objectionable statement against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Law-enforcement authorities confirmed that the accused was apprehended at his residence, in Damoh district’s Hata, by personnel from neighbouring Panna district’s Pawai.
Pateria has represented Hata in the Assembly. His remark, believed to have been made while addressing some people in Pawai a couple of days back, went viral in social media on Monday and sparked off sharp reactions from BJP leaders. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Home Minister Narottam Mishra called for stringent action. A first information report was registered on Monday itself.
As the issue snowballed into a controversy, the former minister released another video containing a clarification that he was speaking figuratively and not literally.
