NCW denies Gopal Italia's allegations of mistreatment

New Delhi: AAP’s Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia alleged that he was “threatened and treated indecently” by NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma after he appeared before her on Thursday, as members of his Patidar community have come out in support of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party ahead of the state elections.

He also alleged that he was then handed over to a team of Delhi Police which took him to Okhla police station where officials tried to convince him that he should not mess with “powerful people” and that he should quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to avoid any further trouble.

Italia was detained for more than 2.5 hours by the Delhi Police after he appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in connection with his alleged comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The AAP leader described those in BJP as “Kansa ki aulad” (descendants of demon king Kansa)” and vowed to take his fight against them to finish in the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls, saying his name is Gopal and he too has blessings of lord Krishna.

NCW chief Sharma denied the allegations, saying that Italia was given “enough time” to reply on his “abusive” tweet but his oral and written statements were completely contradictory.

There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi Police to the AAP leader’s charge.

“I am yet to receive any notice from the NCW, but I came here (Delhi) to put forth my version before its chief because I am a law abiding citizen. As I reached the NCW office, they first refused to allow my lawyer to accompany me,” Italia told a press conference after he was released by police.

The AAP leader claimed that after he entered the NCW chief’s office, “with all arrogance, she started threatening me that she would send me to jail…I was treated in a very indecent and cheap manner, scolded and intimidated a lot.”

Itlaia said that he was then take to a police station where officials “asked me why am I involving myself into such things, why am I messing with these powerful people, suggesting me to quit all these things.”

The AAP leader said the NCW did not summon him to hear the alleged charges against him but to threaten and harass him at the behest of the BJP as he belongs to Patidar community.

“These incidents happened because Gujarat elections are approaching and the Patidar community is coming out openly in support of the AAP, rising against the ruling BJP," he charged “They (BJP) are all descendants of Kansa. They hate Patidar. They have come together against me, AAP, and Arvind Kejriwal. But I am also Gopal and have blessings of lord Krishna. I will take this fight to finish and emerge victorious.” Italia added.

The NCW chairperson had summoned Italia for using "abusive and indecent language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a purported video and said that his comment was "gender biased, misogynist and condemnable".

“Italia refused to accept that the concerned video is his and insisted that it could have been edited,” Sharma said.

However, in his written submission, he did not deny his association with the video and stated that the alleged word could imply anything and in no sense it can be attributed to be derogatory to women, she added.