Madhya Pradesh: Cong MLA Jitu Patwari booked for tweeting tampered image of PM Modi

A case was registered against Madhya Pradesh Congress working president and MLA Jitu Patwari for allegedly posting a doctored image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which the ruling BJP claimed hurt the dignity of the PM as well as religious sentiments of Hindus. In the image uploaded by Patwari, the PM is seen wearing a mask and holding a bowl during the Ram Temple bhoomi pujan ceremony in Ayodhya on August 5.

Accompanying the image was a tweet in Hindi which said, "The country's economy, business and income, declining economic status of farmers, jobs and unemployment, decline of economy, labourers and their struggle. These are not subjects of television debate. Because, (we) will walk with the bowl." Chhatripura police station in charge Pawan Singhal said Patwari was booked under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 464 (making false electronic record) of IPC on the complaint of city BJP president Gaurav Randive.

Singhal said, at first glance, it seems the image uploaded on Patwari's Twitter handle was a "tampered" one, adding that section 188 of IPC was invoked as the district administration had already banned provocative social media posts. Indore Lok Sabha MP Shankar Lalwani and local leaders expressed displeasure on Patwari's tweet and gave a memorandum and complaint to Deputy Inspector General of Police Harinarayanachari Mishra. They said Patwari had "not only hurt the dignity of the Prime Minister, but also religious sentiments of Hindus".

While Patwari, MLA from Rau and higher education minister in the previous Kamal Nath government, deleted the image later, it didn't stop BJP leaders from ridiculing him for spelling errors in his Hindi tweet. BJP leaders said the Congress had made someone like Patwari, who can't get Hindi spellings right, as state higher education minister.

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