Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Tuesday staged a protest in Ashoknagar district, accusing the ruling BJP government of suppressing the voice of the opposition by misusing power and police machinery.
The agitation comes in response to a First Information Report (FIR) filed against Patwari for allegedly coercing a youth into making false claims of caste-based violence.
The Congress leader, along with several party workers, launched the ‘Ashoknagar Nyay Satyagraha’ as a symbolic protest, asserting that the opposition was only fulfilling its constitutional duty by raising the concerns of the people.
Patwari also declared that he would voluntarily court arrest in connection with the case, which he called politically motivated.
The controversy dates back to June 25, when a young man from the Lodhi community, a resident of Moodra Barwah village in Ashoknagar district, approached Patwari during his visit to Orchha.
The youth alleged he had been assaulted and force-fed human faeces. A video of the incident went viral following this incident, which prompted outrage.
However, local police later dismissed the faeces-feeding claim as false and registered an FIR against Patwari, accusing him of attempting to incite caste-based tensions, spread misinformation and disrupt communal harmony through the circulation of the video on social media.
Police further alleged that the youth had later retracted his statement and claimed Patwari pressured him to file the complaint.
Speaking to reporters during the protest, Patwari said, “All Congress leaders are united today in Ashoknagar to stand with the common people. The people of Madhya Pradesh have entrusted us with the responsibility of opposition, and we are raising our voices for their issues. We are also demanding that the government deliver on the promises it made during the elections.”
He expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in the state after “1,208 days,” signalling the party’s focus on the 2028 Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, State Sports and Cooperatives Minister Vishwas Sarang hit back, accusing Congress leaders of spreading misinformation for political gain. “Congress leaders are addicted to creating sensational news without evidence to boost their image,” Sarang said.
“Patwari has already acted unlawfully by spreading falsehoods about the Ashoknagar incident and defaming the youth by disclosing his identity.”
Sarang demanded an apology from Patwari and denied allegations that the BJP government had blocked Congress leaders from travelling to Ashoknagar for the protest.
The Congress had earlier warned that if the FIR against Patwari was not withdrawn by 7 July, the party would stage a mass protest and court arrest in the district.
Patwari’s move to proceed with the satyagraha underscores the party’s determination to challenge what it describes as the ruling party’s high-handedness and abuse of legal processes to stifle opposition voices.
Follow us
