MP: Cong terms arrest of Parulekar as unconstitutional

Bhopal: Terming the arrest of party MLA Kalpana Parulekar as "unconstitutional", Congress on Saturday said it would not spare the BJP government on the issue in the coming budget session of the Madhya Pradesh assembly.

Parulekar was arrested on Saturday in a matter related to doctoring of a photograph of state Lokayukta. State Congress media department's chairman, Manak Agrawal, and MLA Arif Aqueel on Saturday said that as Parulekar had raised the issue of Lokayukta's appointment in the assembly, the case came under special privileges of the house.

Hence, the arrest was unconstitutional and illegal, they said.

It was not clear whether the Speaker had asked the state CID to probe the matter, as it was not only associated with special privileges of the house, but also of its member, they added.

As Parulekar had refused to apply for the bail, Congress would protest in the assembly and outside vociferously, they said.

Parulekar is accused of involvement in morphing of a photograph of Lokayukta P P Naolekar with that of RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat, to show Naolekar in RSS uniform, and to prove that he had been unduly favoured by the BJP government in the appointment.

Leader of Opposition, Ajay Singh, has also taken up the matter with Speaker Iswardas Rohani, seeking his intervention.