Maha: BJP protests over Cong state chief's 'anti-Modi' remarks

Mumbai, Jan 18 (IANS) The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday erupted in protests over certain remarks by state Congress President Nana Patole allegedly making 'derogatory and threatening' utterances against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Patole and the Congress have clarified that the remarks were directed at a local goon by the name of 'Modi' in Bhandara district.Unconvinced by the argument, the BJP staged sit-ins, marches, beat and trampled Patole's photos with shoes, shouted slogans and lodged police complaints against him in different parts of the state, including Nagpur.In a viral video, Patole is purportedly heard talking to a group of people how he "can abuse and hit Modi, which is why he comes to campaign against me" in his constituency, triggering outrage in the state BJP.State BJP President Chandrakant Patil said why Patole should not be treated on the same lines as Union Minister Narayan Rane, who was booked and arrested by Sindhudurg Police five months ago for his 'slap-slur' against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis accused the Congress of "spreading terror" while other leaders demanded the arrest of Patole, an apology and withdrawal of his remarks.The Congress stood firm behind the party chief, claiming the statements had nothing to do with the Prime Minister but merely referred to a local goon by the surname of Modi who was harassing the people in the district who had come to complain against him.Patole has hit back by accusing BJP leaders like Patil and Fadnavis of "mischievously and deliberately" trying to connect his statement with PM Modi and by doing so, "they are the ones who are disrespecting the PM".
--IANS qn/pgh

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