Khera tendered unconditional apology, says Himanta Biswa Sarma
What's the story
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed on Friday that senior Congress leader Pawan Khera has "tendered an unconditional apology" for his recent use of "uncivilized language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Furthermore, the BJP leader also stated that the Assam Police would be following the "matter to its logical end."
Context
Why does this story matter?
Sarma's comments came a day after Khera's arrest by Assam Police for allegedly insulting Narendra Modi and his father.
"If Narasimha Rao could form a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee), if Atal Bihari Vajpayee could form a JPC, then what problem does Narendra Gautam Das...sorry Damodardas...Modi have?" said Khera.
Since then, the BJP has insisted that his gaffe was deliberate.
Twitter post
Majesty of law shall always prevail: Sarma
Speaking on the legal action against the Congress leader, the Assam CM tweeted: "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," he added.
Twitter Post
Sarma's tweet on Khera
The majesty of law shall always prevail. The accused has tendered an unconditional apology (Para 7)
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 24, 2023
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. pic.twitter.com/kaAnuMS2W0
Tweet
Sarma's previous post against Khera for 'derogatory remarks' on Modi
"Make no mistake- pathetic remarks by courtier Pawan Khera on PM's father have blessings of the top levels of Congress, which is full of entitlement and disdain against a person of humble origins being PM," Sarma earlier this week tweeted.
"India will not forget or forgive these horrible remarks," he added.
Details
Assam Police arrested Khera on Thursday at Delhi airport
On Thursday, a drama unfolded at Delhi airport when Khera was forced to disembark from a Raipur-bound IndiGo flight carrying many other Congress leaders for an All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting.
Acting on an FIR against him, the Assam Police reached the airport and arrested him. This prompted the Congress leaders to stage a sit-in protest on the Delhi airport tarmac.
Statement
IndiGo releases statement after Khera incident
In the aftermath of the incident, IndiGo stated: "A passenger was deplaned by the police at the Delhi airport from Raipur-bound flight 6E 204. Some other passengers have also decided to deboard on their own accord."
"We are following the advice of the concerned authorities. The flight is delayed as of now, and we regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers," the airline added.
Bail details
Khera received interim bail till February 28
However, based on the Supreme Court's order, the senior Congress leader was released on interim bail by a Delhi court on Thursday evening until February 28.
Khera had moved the country's top court seeking relief in numerous different FIRs registered against him in Assam and in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) cities of Lucknow and Varanasi.
Quotes
There has to be some level of discourse: CJI Chandrachud
Expressing displeasure over the Congress leader's comments, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud told Khera's advocate A M Singhvi: "We have protected you (Khera), but there has to be some level of discourse."
"He (Khera) has made certain statements which I cannot say in the court, but I personally would not have made," Khera's advocate told SC, as per Hindustan Times.
Response
Details on FIR against Khera in Assam
Meanwhile, the Assam Police informed the apex court that the Congress leader used "derogatory remarks" against a democratically elected PM.
The case against Khera was registered in Assam's Haflong police station under numerous Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections, including 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 500 (punishment for defamation), and 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national interest).