Patna, May 7 (IANS) Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday surrendered in a Bihar court in Begusarai district in connection with violation of the model code of conduct and granted bail.
According to the police Singh surrendered in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Thakur Aman Kumar.
Singh, who is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat, had made communal remarks on April 24 during an election meeting, where BJP President Amit Shah was also present.
Singh had said in Hindi: “Those who cannot say Vande Mataram or cannot respect the motherland, the nation will never forgive them. My ancestors died at the Simaria ghat and did not need a grave, but you will need…”
Taking suo motu cognizance, the Begusarai district administration in had on April 25 booked Singh for a code violation and under the Representation of the People Act for making controversial remarks against Muslims.
BJP Candidate Giriraj who had in 2014 won from Nawada has been shifted to Begusarai for mega polls 2019. Singh in a run-up to the national polls 2019 is facing a three-way competition with CPI‘s Kanhaiya Kumar and RJD’s Tanveer Hasan in the fray.
Begusarai to elect a new MP has already voted on April 29 as a part of Phase-IV.
Earlier, Election Commission had last week filed a case against Giriraj Singh for his remarks on “green flags”. FIR against the union minister was lodged under the Representation of the People Act sections 125 and 153 A, 295A, 171C, 188, 505, 298 of the IPC. The Election Commission alleged that Union Minister hurt the sentiments of a section of the minority group by hurling religious statements.
General Elections 2019 is being held across seven phases starting April 11 to May 19. All 40 parliamentary seats of the state will go to polls in all seven phases till May 19.
Phase-VI is slated for May 12. Counting of the votes will be held on May 23.
ALSO READ:
- Lok Sabha Polls 2019: Congress moves SC against EC’s ‘Inaction’ against PM Modi, Amit Shah for alleged MCC Violations
- Rafale Case: Centre seeks more time from Top Court to file Fresh Affidavit; asks to defer Hearing
- Lok Sabha Polls 2019: ‘Bhagwant Mann furnish wrong information in nomination papers’, RTI Activist tells Poll Body