Mahoba/Lucknow, 23 May (HS): Ajay

Rai, the Uttar Pradesh Congress head, was booked on Saturday after reportedly

uttering offensive statements about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a

function in Mahoba district, according to police. On Saturday, a FIR was filed

at Kotwali Nagar police station in response to a complaint by BJP worker Neeraj

Rawat.

According to the allegation, Rai attended an event hosted by former Uttar

Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Brijraj Ahirwar on May 22 in Samad Nagar.

Rawat claimed that Rai arrived with a convoy of 15-16 cars and 25-30 followers,

obstructing a public route and disrupting regular traffic flow in the region. The

complaint further claimed that police and administrative workers had to quit

their usual responsibilities to keep law and order at the event.

He

also accused Rai of using rude and unpleasant words against the prime minister

during the broadcast, alleging that footage of the statements went viral on

social media. On Friday, a supposed video of Rai went viral, in which he was

heard making abusive statements about Modi in Mahoba. Rai described

the video as false and AI-generated by the BJP, and stated that he would file a

police report once he arrived in Lucknow. BJP officials, including Chief

Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary, denounced

the abusive comments. Police said the FIR was filed against Rai,

Brijraj Ahirwar, and 25-30 unidentified followers.

Police

said the FIR was filed under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

(BNS), including sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 132 (assault or criminal

force to deter public servants from performing their duties), 189(2) (unlawful

assembly), 196(1) (promoting enmity between different groups), and 352

(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). Rawat said in his

complaint that the words wounded public feelings, enraged BJP workers, and

caused social unrest. He presented a pen drive with a reported viral video to

police as proof and requested legal action against Rai, Brijraj Ahirwar, and

25-30 unnamed followers.

The news comes amid a political uproar

in Uttar Pradesh over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent traitorous words

directed at the prime minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh during a rally in Raebareli.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi