Friday (October 4): FIR was registered by Madhya Pradesh police against unknown persons for writing rashtradrohi (traitor) on the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi kept in Bapu Bhavan in Laxman Bagh in Rewa town.
The large photograph was taken out of the bhavan on Wednesday on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary celebration of the Father of the Nation when someone noticed the word painted on it.
Congress workers created ruckus holding right-wing elements responsible for it.
The word was effaced in the presence of police officials and representatives of the district administration.
An FIR under Sections 153 b (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) was registered in the Bicchiya Police Station.
Congress leaders also alleged that a Kalash carrying Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes was stolen from Bapu Bhavan. The police said they are not investigating the alleged theft of the kalash because no one could provide a satisfactory explanation about when was the Kalash was last seen there.
“We are not investigating it because we don’t know anything about the kalash. The Laxman Bagh Trust that runs the Bapu Bhavan also could not throw much light on the kalash,’’ the officer said adding that the trust has not registered any complaint about the kalash.
In-charge of Bichhiya Police Station Shashi Dhurve said the word traitor had been written days or weeks before October 2 but it came to light only on Wednesday when the photograph was taken out.
Another police officer said that the bhavan was painted two months ago and the same colour was used to write traitor on the photograph.
