AAP Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia detained, released

New Delhi: AAP Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia was on Thursday detained for more than 2.5 hours by the Delhi Police after he appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in connection with his alleged comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid protests by party members outside the women's panel's office here.

According to senior police officials, a complaint was received claiming Italia's supporters were creating ruckus outside the NCW building following which a team of police reached the spot and detained him. Italia was later released by police and is scheduled to address a press conference late evening.

Reacting to police action against the AAP leader, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Italia's detention had triggered massive anger in the Patel community across Gujarat. Taking to Twitter, the AAP national convenor also asked why "entire BJP" was after Italia. Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia termed Italia's detention as "BJP politics" and alleged that he had been "detained because he belonged to a party that knew how to transform schools". NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma had summoned Italia for using "abusive and indecent language" against PM Modi and said his comment was "gender biased, misogynist and condemnable". She told reporters after the hearing that Italia, in his verbal statement, had claimed that he was not the person in the video.

However, in his written response, he said he did not mean it. An NCW official said the commission had to rush to arrange a translator to record Italia's statement as he started speaking in Gujarati in the middle of the hearing. After the hearing, the police detained Italia, drawing flak from the AAP. "With the arrest of Gopal Italia, there is massive anger in the Patel community across Gujarat," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.