A Delhi court has taken cognizance on criminal defamation complaint against Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor over his ‘scorpion’ remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The court fixed Dec 22 for recording of complainant’s (BJP leader Rajeev Babbar) statement.

The petitioner has alleged that Tharoor made the statement with malafide motive, which not only demeans the Hindu deity but is also blasphemous.

Babbar sought initiation of proceedings against Tharoor under Section 499/500 of Indian Penal Code.

“Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivling. You cannot remove him with your hand and you cannot hit it with a chappal (slipper) either,” Tharoor had remarked while speaking at Bangalore Literature Festival on October 28.

Tharoor had said that the defamation compliant will be junked as whatever he remarked was based on the facts reported in the media. However, he also said that he was ready for response if sought by the court.

—India Legal Bureau