On Sunday, the Youth Wing of the Indian National Congress party tweeted that a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against BJP spokesperson, Tajinder Bagga, at Kanker in Chhattisgarh for ‘insulting remarks’ against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The official Twitter handle of the Youth Congress further alleged that Bagga had been trying to create ‘social unrest’ through his comments about the former PM. The tweet ended with a caution, “Nafrat ke kisi virus ko nahin baksha jayega (No virus spreading hate will be spared).”
BJP प्रवक्ता तजिंदर पाल सिंह बग्गा के खिलाफ छत्तीसगढ़ के कांकेर में FIR दर्ज
— Youth Congress (@IYC) May 24, 2020
पूर्व PM स्व. राजीव गांधी जी पर लगातार अपमानजनक टिप्पणी कर सामाजिक सोहाद्र बिगाड़ने के प्रयास में कांकेर यूथ कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष पंकज वाधवानी ने दर्ज कराया मामला
नफरत के किसी वायरस को नही बख्शा जाएगा ! pic.twitter.com/k1zvTuoVwB
The FIR was filed by one Pankaj Wadhwani, the President of Youth Congress in Kanker. A case was registered against Tajinder Bagga under Section 66 (Sending offensive messages through electronic communication device) of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 153A (Promoting enmity between two groups) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief).
Tajinder Bagga responds to the FIR
The BJP spokesperson responded to the FIR by reiterating that Rajiv Gandhi was a murderer. He also shared a couplet that read, “Dam hai kitna daman mein tera, dekh liya dekhenge, jagah hai kitna jail mein tera, dekh liya dekh lenga.” The loose translation of the tweet goes as “I have seen the strength of your oppression. I have seen the space in your jail.” Besides, he changed his profile picture with his contentious banner that read “Rajiv Gandhi, The Father of Mob Lynching.”
Rajiv Gandhi is Murderer, saying again. Do whatever you can.
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) May 24, 2020
“दम है कितना दमन में तेरे, देख लिया है देखेंगे,
जगह है कितनी जेल में तेरे,देख लिया है देखेंगे” https://t.co/QB0waYlWBm
BJP spokesperson calls out Rahul Gandhi
After Rahul Gandhi tried to absolve his father and the Congress party of its complicity in the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots, Tajinder Bagga decided to respond to Rahul Gandhi’s statement in his inimitable style. The national capital, hence, woke up on August 28, 2018, to the posters with pictures of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi referring to him as ‘Father of Mob Lynching’. Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as the biggest mob-lynching event in India, Bagga said that he wants to increase the general knowledge of Rahul Gandhi that his father was involved in the riots.