Pawan Khera ‘Tendered Unconditional Apology, Assam Police Will…’: Himanta Sarma

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that Congress leader Pawan Khera has “tendered an unconditional apology” for his alleged objectional remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sarma added that Assam Police will follow the matter 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. @assampolice will follow the matter to its logical end,” Sarma tweeted sharing a copy of the writ petition filed by Khera in the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, Khera was arrested by the Assam Police in connection with an FIR over alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day saw a high drama that began with him being deplaned from a flight to Raipur and his party leaders protesting on the tarmac.

Khera, who was in the headlines this week for apparently fumbling on the prime minister’s father’s name during a press conference, was released on interim bail till February 28 by a Delhi court later in the evening on the directions of the Supreme Court.

He had moved the apex court to seek relief in multiple FIRs against him in Assam as well as in the Uttar Pradesh towns of Varanasi and Lucknow.

After dictating the order granting interim bail, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, apparently displeased with the Congress leader’s remarks, told senior advocate A M Singhvi, who was representing Khera, “We have protected you (Khera) but there has to be some level of discourse.”

“He (Khera) has made statements in a press conference. He has made certain statements which I cannot say in the court but I personally would not have made,” Singhvi, also Khera’s party colleague, said in the apex court.

In Raipur, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh thanked the Supreme Court for granting the relief to Khera.

Referring to the Supreme Court order granting interim bail, he said it showed that “despite all the efforts of the Modi government the judiciary still remains a beacon for our democracy. Tiger Zinda Hai, Supreme Court Zinda Hai” (Tiger is still alive, Supreme Court is still alive).”

The Assam Police said in court that Khera had used “derogatory remarks” against a democratically elected prime minister.

His counsel argued that he had apologised for his remarks on the prime minister and the charges against him do not require arrest.

The case against Khera was registered at the Haflong police station in Assam under various sections of the IPC, including 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national interest), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace).

Khera had referred to the prime minister as “Narendra Gautamdas Modi” while criticising the government over the row involving the business conglomerate headed by Gautam Adani.

Modi’s full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi, with the middle name Damodardas standing for his father’s name, a common practice in many parts of the country.

The apparent flub led to strong condemnation from the BJP with its leaders accusing Khera of making fun of the prime minister and his late father.