Amit Shah booked for controversial "revenge" remark

Lucknow: BJP general secretary Amit Shah was Sunday booked for an alleged inflammatory speech a few days back, when he allegedly spoke of taking revenge for the Muzaffarnagar riots, officials said. A case against Shah, a close aide of Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, has been slapped with charges under sections 153(a) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act by the Bijnor administration. [caption id=“attachment_1468091” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Amit Shah. AFP[/caption] The action was taken after a go-ahead from the government, a home department official told IANS. The Election Commission has also launched a probe into the matter and a CD of Shah’s statement has been sent to the poll panel headquarters in New Delhi. “The EC is seized of the matter and soon a decision would be taken on action against Shah if he is found guilty of violating the model code of conduct,” a poll panel official told IANS. Earlier at a rally in Muzaffarnagar, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav threatened action against people trying to vitiate the atmosphere in the state. Mulayam Singh told IANS that the state government will not hesitate in taking action against anyone trying to disturb peace and harmony and said this “included people like Amit Shah”. “Why only Amit Shah, action will be taken against anyone who is out to destroy the social fabric of the state,” he added. Mulayam Singh also referred to the statement given by party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav, who warned BJP leaders to rein in Shah or face legal action. Shah has been accused of speaking of “revenge” for the Muzaffarnagar riots during his meeting with Jat leaders in Bijnor in western Uttar Pradesh Thursday. IANS