It looks like RTI will keep hounding Modi on almost all of his claims. The recent claim made by Modi in Bangladesh, that he was arrested in his twenties for his support of Bangladesh-movement, has raised many eye-brows. India at that time (1971) was officially supporting the Bangladesh freedom movement, and Modi’s claim does not fit the bill as it only paints him portraying an anti-congress stance in Bangladesh.

A convener of the Indian National Congress has filed an application under the Right to Information Act (RTI). The RTI application has been filed in order to acquire detailed information about Modi’s claim of his arrest and imprisonment for supporting Bangladesh’s independence.

National Convener in the Social media department of Indian National Congress (INC), Saral Patel filed the RTI application with the Public Information Officer in PMO.

In his tweet, Patel said, “I have filed an RTI with PMO seeking more details of the claims made by #PMModi during his visit to Bangladesh today.” He also added, “I am very curious to know, under which Indian law was he arrested and which jail was he lodged at during his arrest, are not you?” Modi on Friday had said that he and many of his colleagues observed “satyagraha” for the freedom of the people of Bangladesh. He made the statement while attending the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu.

“I was arrested and imprisoned for supporting Bangladesh’s independence,” Modi said. He had also said, “I must have been 20 to 22 years old when me and my colleagues did a Satyagraha for the freedom of the people of Bangladesh.”

Response is awaited on the RTI to understand under which law Modi was arrested. Was he really arrested? Did he really carry out Satyagraha for Bangladesh? Or was it another “15 lakh in your account” gas-bag claim?

The trip of Modi to Bangladesh has trigerred huge protests against Modi by Left, Student-bodies, Intellectuals, and other bodies in the country. Sheikh Hasina probably wants a placated BJP, as  Mamata Banerjee had not signed the Teesta water-sharing treaty, and many suggest that  Hasina needs India to maintain her government. Some organizations in the country are trying to supress the protests, for example Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Dhaka University unit President Sanjit Chandra Das threatened Leftists protesting against Modi’s trip, that he would peel off the skin of the protesters, if they took out a rally in the campus.