AAP founder-member Ravi Srivastava posted a distasteful tweet, which read: '… had Nehruji/Indiraji not administered polio drops to Suresh Nakhua, he would have not been sitting here…'
It was April 2017. Arvind Kejriwal reiterated, “You have trodden the path of truth and the road will be full of thorns. But at the end (sic) truth will prevail.” Just a year later on 16 July, the same Aam Admi Party founder Ravi Srivastava joked about the physical disability of BJP leader Suresh Nakhua.
It all started with a heated television debate on the new Netflix show Sacred Games and Congress’s opposition to the supposed derogatory use of words against Rajiv Gandhi. But the AAP founder posted a distasteful tweet which read: “… had Nehruji/Indiraji not administered polio drops to Suresh Nakhua, he would have not been sitting here…”
Srivastava deleted the obnoxious tweet after a huge public outcry on Twitter. The tweet was all the more unpleasant as Nakhua is a victim of polio.
Nakhua gave a stern reply using the same social media platform.
Police Complaint filed against Mr Ravi Srivastav (), founder, under Section 92 of RPWD Act, 2016 at Sakinaka Police Station of .
Have been assured me of quick action. pic.twitter.com/MIvQTZpaKH
Nakhua tells MyNation, “They have brought down the political discourse to this level because their party (AAP) chief (Arvind Kejriwal) himself shows the way by using derogatory words against the sitting Prime Minister of the country on Twitter or by beating up his chief secretary.”
Srivastava’s tweet violates Section 92 of Rights of Person With Disabilities act (RPDA), 2016. The act clearly states that whoever intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a person with disability in any place within public view, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.
Referring to this act, Nakhua submitted a written complaint and also forwarded it to the chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.
“I will follow the case closely and see to it that it reaches its logical conclusion,” said Nakhua.
दिव्यांगों से असंवेदनशील बर्ताव ही पाप है और इस प्रकार का अपमानजनक मानसिक प्रहार देश के कानून का उल्लंघन। खास तौर पे जब अपराधी खुद एक ज़िम्मेदार राजनीति-कर्ता है तो ये संगीन हो जाता है। कठोर कार्यवाही समाज के समक्ष उदाहरण के लिए बिल्कुल ज़रूरी है।
— Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia)Taking legal route is the best way to answer anyone. Glad you decided to follow the law.
— Singh Varun (@singhvarun)Hope appropriate action will be taken against him
— Shobhit Bhatnagar (@Shobhit_B23)Meanwhile, AAP has distanced itself from the controversy. Party leader Asutosh said, “I don’t know about it”.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.