NEW DELHI: A police case was registered on Sunday against the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for warning critics of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi that they would have to find sanctuary in Pakistan after the polls.

Press trust of India said the FIR was filed against Giriraj Singh by Jharkand police on Sunday over his inflammatory remark even as he was also pulled up by the party leadership.

Giriraj, who is a Lok Sabha candidate from Nawada, however, remained unfazed and stood by his controversial comment that has been condemned by rival parties as violation of Model Code of Conduct, PTI said.

Former BJP President Nitin Gadkari and its Godda Lok Sabha candidate Nishikant Dubey were also present on the stage during the poll rally at Mohanpur on Saturday when Giriraj made the controversial comments.

In the CD of his speech Giriraj is heard saying that those opposing the BJP prime ministerial candidate have a place in Pakistan and not in India, which promote enmity.

The Bihar Preservation And Improvement of Animals Act was also invoked in the FIR for Giriraj’s remark that the centre gave subsidy to those who exported beef and taxed those who reared cows. Congress and JD(U) also complained to Election Commission and demanded criminal action against him.

Distancing itself from Singh’s remark, BJP sought to undo the damage with president Rajnath Singh saying the party believed in the politics of “justice and humanity” and taking everybody along.

Party sources said Giriraj was told of the party’s apparent displeasure over his statement and asked to refrain from stoking any further row. The comment had left BJP red-faced besides inviting sharp criticism from rival parties who said his comments were directed at Muslims.

In an apparent disapproval of the former Bihar minister’s comments, Rajnath Singh said: “BJP believes in the politics of justice and humanity and taking everybody along”.

Giriraj Singh was adamant. “I stand by my statement that those trying their best to stop Modi from coming to power have no place in India and should go to Pakistan whose interests these Modi-baiters have sought to espouse by opposing him in the polls,” Giriraj Singh was quoted as saying.