Gujarati 'thug' remark: Court summons Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav in defamation case
In March 2023, Tejashwi Yadav said the situation in the country was such that only a Gujarati can be thugs in the present situation.
Gujarati 'thug' remark: A metropolitan court in Ahmedabad on Monday issued summons to Bihar Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav seeking his presence on September 22 in a criminal defamation case filed against him over his alleged remark that "only Gujaratis can be thugs in the current situation". The case against the RJD leader had been filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal defamation
The court of Additional Metropolitan Magistrate DJ Parmar summoned Yadav after conducting an inquiry under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and had found sufficient grounds to summon him. The complaint was filed by Haresh Mehta, a 69-year-old social worker and businessman based in Ahmedabad
Mehta lodged his complaint in the court, accompanied by evidence of Yadav's statement given to the media in Patna, Bihar, on March 21 of this year.
‘Only Gujaratis can be thugs’
In March, Tejashwi Yadav said the situation in the country was such that only a Gujarati can be thugs in the present situation. "Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation, and their fraud will be forgiven. Who will be responsible if they run away with the money belonging to LIC or banks?" the Bihar Deputy CM had allegedly said. His remark had come after Interpol withdrew the Red Corner Notice (RCN) against fugitive Indian diamantaire Mehul Choksi.
Mehta said in his complaint a term like "thug" refers to a rogue, sly and criminal person, and such a comparison will cause non-Gujaratis to look at Gujaratis with suspicion. He also sought maximum punishment for Yadav.
‘Statement defames and humiliates all Gujaratis’
The complainant said the statement, calling the entire Gujarati community as "thug", was made before the media. It defames and humiliates all Gujaratis in public. A "thug" is a rogue, sly and criminal person, and such a comparison with the entire community will cause non-Gujarati people to look at Gujaratis with suspicion, Mehta said while seeking issuance of summons against Yadav and maximum punishment for him under the law.
The complainant said he is also a Gujarati, and when he came across the news on a digital platform, he realised such a defamatory statement will make a non-Gujarati look down upon a resident of the state as a 'thug'.