'Pravin Togadia admits he spoke about Disturbed Area Act': Prakash Javdekar

New Delhi: Even as some TV channels telecast video clips of his rant, Pravin Togadia himself scampered to issue a legal notice to media houses while maintaining that the media reports of his hate speech were “false, mala fide and mischievous.”

He claimed in the legal notice that he merely “advised” the gathering to “approach” the local administration, state government and courts “if they felt they are being forced into any selling of their houses.”

The notice, however, did concede that Mr Togadia also informed the gathering about the Disturbed Areas Act and they could check if the act was applicable to them.

The BJP, clearly in a dilemma for fear that condemning Mr Togadia’s remarks could upset the majority of the Hindutva vote-bank in the midst of the LS electoral battle, initially defended Mr Togadia.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar at first said he’d spoken to Mr Togadia who had denied these remarks. However, later in the day Mr Javadekar was quoted as saying, “If these reported remarks are correct, we completely denounce them. It is not the BJP’s view. Whatever decision the EC takes in this regard, the Gujarat government is bound to follow.”

The AAP demanded action against Mr Togadia for “vitiating the peaceful atmosphere” during elections.