DEHRADUN: The returning officer of Haridwar, Jay Bharat, filed an FIR against BJP leaders Jaypal Chauhan and Vikas Tiwari on Wednesday for not seeking permission for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally on February 10.
Chauhan and Tiwari were booked under Section of 188 of Indian Penal Code - disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant. A defiant Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), however, termed the move an ‘act of political vendetta’.
“The officer had to bow down to the pressure from the Congress government. Were they sleeping so far? Why did they allow the PM’s chopper to land and why was permission granted for the (rally) venue in the first place?” Bhatt told HT on Thursday.
The leader also said the district unit of Haridwar had followed protocol to seek permission for the rally. “If the authorities have failed to process the papers on time then the onus lies on them and not Chauhan or Tiwari,” Bhatt added.
The Congress had called on chief electoral officer last week and demanded an FIR against PM and those who were present with the PM on the dais. “We stick to our demand that an FIR should be lodged against PM,” Congress state president Kishore Upadhyay told HT. He said the election commission had displayed ‘speed’ in case of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and chief minister Harish Rawat.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress had called on chief electoral officer last week and demanded an FIR against PM and those who were present with the PM on the dais. “We stick to our demand that an FIR should be lodged against PM,” Congress state president Kishore Upadhyay told HT. He said the election commission had displayed ‘speed’ in case of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and chief minister Harish Rawat.
{{/usCountry}}Two days after the PM’s rally in Haridwar, Gandhi held a road show there that continued till midnight. On February 14, the police booked Gandhi, Rawat and local Congress candidate Brahm Swaroop Brahamchari for violating model code of conduct.
“If the CM could be booked then why spare the PM? Are there two constitutions in this country?” the Congress president asked.