FIR lodged after hoardings call Modi ''jumlebaaz'', want Yogi for PM

Lucknow, December 12

A case was registered on Wednesday against Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena, a fringe group batting for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister, for putting up hoardings in Lucknow terming PM Narendra Modi as "jumlebaaz".

The hoardings were put up late on Tuesday night after the BJP's defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. They were removed by officials as soon as they came to know about it.

"An FIR has been registered against UP Nav Nirman Sena under various sections of the IPC. We are probing the matter," Additional Superintendent of Police, East, Sarvesh Kumar Mishra told PTI.

The hoardings with "Yogi Lao Desh Bachao" (bring Yogi and save country) written on it read "Jumlebaazi ka naam Modi" (Name of fake promises is Modi) on one side and "Hindutva Ka Brand Yogi" (Yogi is a Hindutva Brand) on the other with #Yogi4PM on the top.

The fringe group's head Amit Jani also released a video in which he praised Yogi and batted for him for the next prime minister.

He said he will hold a "dharam sansad" or religious conclave on February 10 in the city to declare that Hindus will not vote for the BJP if Yogi was not made the prime ministerial candidate.

"Modi did nothing on Ram temple, Article 370 and other issues. Now 'jumla' will not work. Only Yogi is able to run the country and carry forward the Hindutva agenda," he said.

A BJP spokesman dismissed it as an attempt for "cheap publicity". "It's a conspiracy. It's an attempt to get cheap publicity," he said.

Jani had shot into limelight in 2012 when he allegedly damaged a statue of former Chief Minister Mayawati in Lucknow.

Last year, he was arrested for threatening to kill JNU students Kanahiya Kumar and Umar Khalid. PTI