Now, Criminal Defamation Case Against Bihar Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav Over His Remarks Against Gujaratis

A criminal defamation case has been filed against Bihar deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav for his alleged remark that "only Gujaratis can be thugs in the current situation".

Tejaswi, son of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch and fodder scam convict Lalu Yadav, had said at a press meet in Patna on March 21: “Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation prevailing in the country, and their frauds and crimes will be forgiven. Who will be responsible if they run away with money belonging to LIC or banks?” (watch this video). 

Yadav was speaking on the Adani issue that had stalled Parliament. His accusation caused outrage in Gujarat. Social worker and businessman Haresh Mehta filed the criminal defamation complaint against Yadav in the court of Ahmedabad’s additional metropolitan magistrate D.J.Parmar. 

Mehta’s lawyer P.R.Patel said that proof of the defamatory statement made by Yadav has been submitted, “The court has accepted the complaint and will verify it on May 1,” he said. 

The complainant, Haresh Mehta, said in his submission that he is a Gujarati and when he came across the news on a digital platform, he realised that such a defamatory statement will make a non-Gujarati look down upon all Gujaratis as “thugs”. 

Mehta has sought registration of a criminal case against Yadav under sections 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code. Mehta has claimed in the application that he is a businessman and vice-president of All India Anti-Corruption and Crime Preventive Council (Gujarat State). 

A court in Surat had convicted and sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in prison for his “all thieves have the Modi surname” remark. He has appealed against the ruling to the Gujarat High Court. 

A court in Ahmedabad has issued summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh in a criminal defamation case filed by the Gujarat University over their remarks on the institute.