What Assam Chief Minister Said After Pawan Khera's Apology Over Remark On PM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday hoped that after Congress leader Pawan Khera tendered an "unconditional apology" in the Supreme Court for his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, no one will use "uncivilized language in political discourse hereafter".

The Chief Minister, however, added that the Assam Police will take the case to its "logical end".

"The majesty of law shall always prevail. The accused has tendered an unconditional apology (Para 7) We hope that keeping the sanctity of public spaces, no one will use uncivilized language in political discourse hereafter. Assam Police will follow the matter to its logical end," Mr Sarma tweeted sharing the order of the Supreme Court in which a plea was filed on Thursday relating to Khera arrest by the Assam Police.

"Dr Singhvi has stated that the petitioner has since clarified that the use of the language was inadvertent, though inappropriate, and that he would not stand by the use of such language. However, Dr Singhvi states that the petitioner tenders an unconditional apology," the order read.

Earlier on Thursday, Pawan Khera was granted interim bail by a court in Delhi's Dwarka after orders of the Supreme Court following his arrest by Assam Police for alleged remarks against PM Modi.

Congress attacked the Modi government over Mr Khera's arrest, saying he was held on "totally baseless" charges and detained "without providing any copy of the FIR, an arrest warrant, or a production warrant from the concerned magistrate".

The police action came as leaders of Congress were going for the party's three-day plenary beginning on Friday in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur.

Congress said that Pawan Khera was "deplaned" while he was with a group of party leaders on a flight by a private airline. The Congress leaders held a protest on the tarmac. They raised slogans against the government. The videos showed Congress leaders raising slogans including "tanashahi nahi chalegi" and "Modi teri kabar khudegi".

Mr Khera, who is chairman of the Congress Media and Publicity Department, earlier said he is "ready to fight the long battle".

"We will see (in which case they are taking me). It's a long battle and I'm ready to fight," said Khera as Delhi Police took him after he was deboarded from an aircraft at Delhi airport.

Delhi Police said that a request was received from Assam Police for assistance in the arrest of Pawan Khera in an FIR registered in the Haflong district of Assam.

"Based upon the same, requisite local assistance was provided and upon the requisition of Assam Police, accused Shri Pawan Khera was detained from Terminal 1 of IGI Airport and has been subsequently arrested by the IO concerned of Assam Police," a Delhi Police official told ANI.

Mr Khera interim bail on Thursday evening.