Case filed against Congress leader for `derogatory' remarks against MP CM

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by police here on Friday against a local Congress leader for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, an official said.

The FIR was registered against Chandrashekhar Patel, former president of the Indore unit of Congress Seva Dal, at Vijay Nagar police station under section 294 (use of abusive words) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sampat Upadhyay. He has not been arrested and probe was on, he said.

Patel allegedly made a controversial statement against Chouhan while speaking during a protest organised by the Congress earlier on Friday against the economic policies of the BJP-led Central government.

After a video of the statement went viral on social media, BJP workers gathered outside the DCP's office on Friday evening to express outrage and shouted slogans against the Congress. Indore BJP chief Gaurav Randive said Patel's statement reflected the "mental bankruptcy" of the Congress and he had insulted the entire state by using abusive language against the chief minister.

Patel has several criminal cases registered against him over the years and the Congress should immediately expel him, Randive added. Meanwhile, a separate FIR was registered against Leader of Opposition in the local civic body Chintu Chouksey and other Congress leaders who participated in the protest at Sathya Sai square under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, a police official said. The FIR alleged that prior permission was not taken from the administration for the protest and it resulted in traffic jams causing inconvenience to the general public, the official said.