The Election Commission on Thursday issued notice to Gujarat Congress chief Arjun Mothwadia for his monkey remark against state chief minister Narendra Modi and raking up his personal life. 
 
The commission issued the notice to Mothwadia after state BJP general secretary Balkrishna Shukla had lodged a complaint and recording of his speech had confirmed his utterances against Modi.
 
At a public meeting in Vadodara on November 2, 2012, Mothwadia had said, "Every morning he (Modi) asks Dr Manmohan Singh, come and fight elections against me...Just as a monkey climbs and tree and sitting up on that tree asks the lion standing down on the ground to come up, come up..."
 
He had also said, "Every day he repeats Dr Manmohan Singh ...Manubhai is sitting here...He is infected with rabies... Manubhai, he has been bitten by rabid dog..."
 
Besides, he had also raked up Modi's personal life by stating, "chief minister, within your life what about your married life? Gujarat knows it. Why don't you disclose it one day? And why it didn't work out after marrying..."
 
The commission had asked him to file his reply by November 24 and added that, "failing which it would be assumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and appropriate action will be taken against you without any further reference to you."

The notice said that Modhwadia's remarks prima facie violated Model Code of Conduct which prohibits personal attacks on the leaders of rival political parties.

"The Commission hereby gives notice to you to show cause as to why action should not be taken against you, for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct," said the EC notice issued on Wednesday and signed by its secretary Harbans Singh.

With PTI inputs