On 23rd February 2023, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera was arrested by the Assam police at the Delhi airport after he was deplaned by IndiGo airlines. He was going to Raipur in Chhattisgarh with other Congress leaders to attend a party meeting. Almost 50 congress leaders protested at the terminal of the Delhi airport and raised slogans against PM Modi. One of the slogans said “Modi teri kabar khudegi” which means “Modi you will be buried”.
Pawan Khera was apprehended at the airport by Assam Police, who arrived with an FIR. FIRs are registered against the Congress leader for his indecent remarks against PM Modi and his father, as per reports.
Pawan Khera was stopped from boarding the plane as the Assam police had requested to stop him. Dozens of Congress leaders walked off the plane and protested on the tarmac at Delhi Airport, chanting slogans and holding a protest directly close to the jet.
This came after Himanta Biswa Sarma had said, “Make no mistake- pathetic remarks by courtier Pawan Khera on PM’s father have blessings of the top levels of Congress, which is full of entitlement and disdain against a person of humble origins being PM. India will not forget or forgive these horrible remarks of Congressmen.”
At 11:30 pm on Monday, Indian National Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera made the remarks against the Prime Minister at a press conference in Delhi. PM Modi’s full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi. Pawan Khera, while accusing Narendra Modi of favouring businessman Gautam Adani, called him Narendra Gautamdas Modi. He further said that his full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi but his actions are like Gautamdas (literally meaning a servant of Gautam). Cases were registered by BJP leaders against the Congress spokesperson in Lucknow and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh.
According to a report by NDTV, IndiGo Airline said, “A passenger was deplaned by the police at the Delhi airport from Raipur-bound flight 6E 204. Some other passengers have also decided to deboard on their own accord. We are following the advice of the concerned authorities. The flight is delayed as of now and we regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers.”
During the protests before getting arrested, Pawan Khera said, “I was told that there is an issue with my baggage, though I only had hand baggage. They told me you can’t fly. Then they said the DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) will meet you. I have been waiting for a long time. There is no sign of law and order.”
Congress leader KC Venugopal tweeted, “Modi government is acting like a bunch of goons by deplaning Pawan Khera from the Delhi-Raipur flight and preventing him from joining the AICC Plenary. Using a flimsy FIR to restrict his movement and silence him is a shameful, unacceptable act. The entire party stands with Pawan ji.”
As per latest reports, senior advocate and former Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has reached Supreme Court with an appeal against the arrest. The SC will hear the issue at 3 pm.
As per the latest reports, the Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Pawan Khera. The Supreme Court has also issued notice to Assam Police & UP Police on Congress leader Pawan Khera’s plea seeking clubbing of FIRs.