Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat on Friday demanded strict action against right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide for his alleged derogatory remarks on Mahatma Gandhi.
Bhide, speaking at an event in eastern Maharashtra's Amravati district on Thursday, reportedly made certain controversial references about Mahatma Gandhi's family.
Speaking in the Assembly, Mr Thorat said recent comments of Bhide were shameful and asked the Maharashtra government to make a statement in the House on action taken against him.
"Sambhaji Bhide has a twisted mindset. His comments about the Father of the Nation have disturbed the country. He repeatedly makes controversial comments and it needs to be found out who is backing him for political interests. We want strict action against him," said the former minister.
The Congress MLA, without taking names, claimed a machinery was working to finish off progressive ideology.
Mr Thorat's colleague and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said this was not the first time Bhide had made controversial statements and sought his arrest under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including section 153.
"If such a person is making a defamatory statement regarding Mahatma Gandhi, then he has no right to roam (freely) in the state," Chavan said in the Assembly.
Congress leader and former minister Yashomati Thakur wondered why the state government and the home minister (deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis) were not taking action against Bhide.
She warned that her party would not remain silent if such statements were repeated.
Meanwhile, in Amravati, Congress state secretary Nandkishore Kuyate submitted a complaint to police seeking registration of a case against Bhide, who is the founder of the Shri Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan outfit.
Kuyate alleged Bhide had made the statement during a public programme in Amravati on Thursday.
Bhide, who is on a tour of Vidarbha, had addressed a gathering in Bharat Mangal Hall in Badnera Road area in Amravati.
Top police officials in Amravati could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
In the past too, the Hindutva leader has drawn flak for his controversial comments.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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