Gujarat AAP leader Italia seen mocking PM Modi's mother in video released by BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released a new video of Gujarat AAP president Gopal Italia in which he is purportedly heard mocking the 100-year-old mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The video released by the Gujarat BJP and tweeted by national leaders of the party has no date, but it appears to be old.

Italia was detained for a few hours in New Delhi on Thursday when he went to the National Commission for Women (NCW) office to record his statement on summons issued to him for his alleged derogatory comments against PM.

In the latest video shot in a moving car, Italia is purportedly heard saying, “Why are you not asking 'neech' (lowly person) Narendra Modi to reveal the expenses of his public meeting. And his mother Hiraba is also doing drama. Modi is nearing 70 years, while Hiraba will soon be of 100, then also these two continue with their drama.”

The video, tweeted by Gujarat BJP media convener Yagnesh Dave in Ahmedabad, triggered a barrage of criticism from the ruling party. “Look at the culture of this man. Hundred-year-old mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in politics. To use such low level language for her is not the culture of Gujarat,” state BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas said, hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.

BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani posted Italia's video on Twitter and hit out at AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. "Arvind Kejriwal, gutter mouth Gopal Italia now abuses Hira Ba with your blessings. I proffer no outrage, I don't want to show how indignant Gujaratis are but know this you have been judged & your party shall be decimated electorally in Gujarat. Now the people will deliver justice," she said in a tweet.

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya called Italia a "serial offender". "Gopal Italia, AAP's Gujarat President, close aide of Kejriwal, is a serial offender, who treats women with contempt and sexist disregard. After constantly referring to women with the 'C' word, offending those who go to 'katha' (religious event) and mandir, now calls PM's aged mother 'nautanki baaz'," Malviya said.

Italia, in his defence earlier, had said the BJP is targeting him as he is a Patidar, an influential community in Gujarat. Earlier, the BJP had released two videos of Italia. In one of them, the AAP leader is purportedly heard abusing Modi, while in the other video he is seen advising women not to go to temples, saying "religious places are dens of exploitation of women".

The AAP has been positioning itself as a key challenger to the BJP in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are due in the next two months.