Gopal Italia: From Hurling Shoe at Minister to Commenting on PM, AAP Gujarat Chief’s Chequered Past

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gujarat unit president Gopal Italia on Thursday appeared before the Delhi Police and the National Commission for Women (NCW) following his alleged derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma had summoned Italia for using “abusive and indecent language” regarding a purported video where Italia can be heard calling PM Modi “neech aadmi”. Sharma said his comment was “gender biased, misogynist and condemnable”.

The NCW chief told reporters that Italia had claimed that he was not the person in the video in a verbal statement. However, in his written response, he said he did not mean it. “His statement and written statement don’t match. He hasn’t given a proper reply. I’ve told the Police too that action should be taken against him because he was creating an atmosphere to impact the law and order situation.”

AAP supporters launched protests outside the NCW building and allegedly tried to enter the premises, reports PTI news agency. Police had to be called to restrain them, it said.

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BJP slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led party over the derogatory remark against the Prime Minister and said that it was an “insult to the democratic process of India and the state”.

Meanwhile, AAP has defended its Gujarat party chief and said Italia is being targeted by the BJP over an old video as he comes from a poor family and belongs to the Patidaar community. “You are so rattled by the fear of defeat in Gujarat that you are releasing an old video of our state president Gopal Italia, when he was not even a member of AAP, to target him now as he comes from a poor family and Patidaar community,” AAP’s national spokesperson Sanjay Singh told a press conference.

Delhi police sources told CNN-News18 that Italia would be released and no FIR has been registered against him. “He is not even detained. Just a basic enquiry is being done as the Delhi Police received an official complaint from NCW,” sources said. Italia was later released by police and is scheduled to address a press conference late evening.

Italia’s Chequered Past

However, the recent row is not the first time such an incident was reported involving Italia, a former state government clerk posted at the office of Dhandhuka taluka Sub-Divisional Magistrate under Ahmedabad collectorate.

In 2017, Gopal Italia was featured in national headlines after he hurled a shoe at the then Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja alleging corruption in the state government.

In the same year, he was arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch for allegedly impersonating a police constable to call up Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and circulating audio clips of the conversation on social media. Italia once served as a Police Constable. Upon his arrest, Italia confirmed working as a clerk in the Prant (revenue) Office of Dhandhuka taluka after resigning as a Police Constable in 2015.

He was appointed as AAP’s vice president for Gujarat in 2020. He was later appointed the State President of the party in the same year.

In 2021, Italia surrendered before the police in a case related to unlawful assembly and a scuffle during a public meeting in Ahmedabad attended by Delhi MLA Atishi. An FIR was registered against Italia and three others following an alleged scuffle with the police at the public meeting. Three other accused had earlier surrendered before the police and were granted bail by court. He was granted regular bail by the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate RB Marfatiya on a bond of Rs 10,000.

In August this year, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) alleged that Gopal Italia and AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi used a minor boy for political gain and sought legal action against them. “It is mentioned in the complaint that the minor has been recruited as a worker in the said political party and is being used for protests and child labour for political gains. It is further mentioned in the complaint that the minor has been used by the party to further influence other people to join the party,” the child rights body said.

Recently, an FIR was registered against Gopal Italia for allegedly using derogatory language against Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil and minister Harsh Sanghavi during a rally in Surat.

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