Mumbai BJP leader Vivekanand Gupta files complaint against Sanjay Raut for "derogatory" remarks against PM Modi

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 22 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mumbai Secretary Vivekanand Gupta has filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission against Shivsena UBT spokesperson Sanjay Raut for making "derogatory" remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public meeting earlier in Maharashtra.
The BJP leader has filed a formal complaint with the poll body against Raut for his Aurangzeb birthplace jibe targeting Prime Minister Modi. Gupta has also requested the EC for action against Sanjay Raut and to file an FIR against Raut.
"This is our complaint against Mr Sanjay Raut, Chief Spokesman, Shiv Sena for making derogatory remarks against Narendra Modi Ji, Prime Minister of India. Mr Raut while speaking at a public meeting in Sangli, Buldhana, Maharashtra made derogatory remarks. He said, "Don't say Modi has come say Aurangzeb has arrived, we will bury them."
"Model Code of Conduct. His statement will aggravate differences and create mutual hatred between different castes, communities, religious and linguistic. The said statement of Mr Sanjay Raut is unkind and demeaning and intended to hurt the reputation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji. The statement will vitiate the election atmosphere in the state thus creating hatred on religious lines," said the complaint.
"In furtherance of our oral complaint, today we are formally registering our complaint that the Election Commission should appreciate the gravity of the complaint and initiate punitive and stern action against Mr Raut. We hope that necessary instructions will be given to the concern including registering a First Information Report against Mr Sanjay Raut," it read.
This comes after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had likened PM Modi to Aurangzeb while addressing a rally in Buldhana in the Vidarbha region.
He had said that while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha empire, was born in Maharashtra, Aurangzeb was born in present-day Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi.
"There is a place called Dahod (in Gujarat) where Modi was born, Aurangzeb was also born there. So this Aurangzebi attitude is marching towards Maharashtra from Gujarat and Delhi, and also against Shiv Sena and our self-respect. Don't say Modi has come, say Aurangzeb has arrived. We will bury them," Raut was quoted saying.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sharpened his attack on opposition parties, saying they had hurled a new "104th abuse" against him and described him as Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition of repeatedly abusing him, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he should stop this habit of shedding crocodile tears.
"Modi should stop this habit of shedding crocodile tears. Nobody is abusing Modi. He is the Prime Minister; he should maintain the integrity of his position. How can we behead him, He has two swords, the ED and the CBI, that he is using to behead opposition leaders. If our government comes to power, we won't use these swords."
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that the 'Aurangzeb remark' made by him has been misinterpreted and clarified that he was speaking about the attitude of government being similar to that of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.