Congress Lok Sabha candidate Imran Masood was today arrested for his hate speech in which he allegedly threatened to "chop" Narendra Modi "into pieces", remarks that sparked an outrage and prompted an angry reaction from the BJP which took up the matter with the EC.
Masood, 40, who was arrested in the wee hours by police from his residence here, was produced before Deoband Judicial Magistrate Archana Rani who rejected his bail plea and sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.
The Congress candidate said he has no remorse for making the remark even as the BJP filed an official complaint with the EC against Congress for "repeatedly" violating the model code of conduct.
"It is all BJP's plotting. I don't have any remorse as I did no wrong. I will not apologise either to Narendra Modi or to the BJP," Masood, who had yesterday expressed regret for his remarks, told reporters.
Soon after his arrest, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi cancelled his scheduled rally in Saharanpur today.
"Rahul Gandhi's rally is being postponed. The next date for it will be decided later on," CLP leader Pradeep Mathur said.
A video footage of the election rally in Saharanpur, showing Masood attacking the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, had gone viral on the web.
SSP Saharanpur Manoj Kumar said, "We received a video footage of Masood. Based on its review a case was registered in Deoband Police Station against him".
"Cases have been registered against him under section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting religion or religious beliefs), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC, Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of Representation of People Act, and 310 SC/ST Act," he said.
Necessary probe is being carried out and legal proceedings will be held, Kumar said.
The Congress candidate was seen in the video as saying that "If Modi tries to make Uttar Pradesh into Gujarat, then we will chop him into tiny pieces...I am not scared of getting killed or attacking someone. I will fight against Modi. He thinks UP is Gujarat. Only 4 per cent Muslims are there in Gujarat while there are 42 per cent Muslims in UP."
A BJP delegation including party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, general secretary J P Nadda and spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman met the EC and drew its attention to the inflammatory speech made by Masood.
"This is not the first time Congress is indulging in such practises violating model code of conduct. There are more than two dozens violations committed by the Congress," Naqvi said after meeting the EC here.
Accusing Congress of "Taliban mentality", he said, "the inflammatory speech at Saharanpur by Masood has vitiated atmosphere not only in UP but in the entire country. This is a sign of Taliban mentality and frustration of the Congress."
However, Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi defended Masood, saying "His statement is not about elections....Also newspaper reports say the statement is six months old. The person standing next to him (in the video) has also passed away. Now what was said in some other time, I don't know how certified it is.
"It is a legal matter. What has been registered against him, what is the truth in it will be seen by the party high command which will decide the future course of action. I don't think any ticket will be changed now," she said.