The Congress on Tuesday went knocking on the doors of the Election Commission, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the poll code by making a political speech outside a polling booth in Ahmedabad where he cast his vote.
This comes a day after the Congress urged the poll watchdog to intervene against Modi for invoking the armed forces in his speeches, which is prohibited by the EC.
The PM was described as a “habitual offender” in the representation by a delegation of Congress leaders. “…And such audacity stems from complete non-action against him by this Hon’ble Commission for his almost daily violations. There is no doubt now that the Prime Minister is being treated as being above the law,” the Congress party alleged.
The party, which claims it has made seven representations against the PM, said it approached the EC on Monday to take preventive steps, having received information that Modi had made “detailed plans to undertake, in defiance of electoral laws, a roadshow before and after he voted in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat on polling day”.
After voting on Tuesday, the PM was driven out in an open jeep from Booth No. 118 at Nishant High School in Ranip to Nishant School in the Sabarmati Assembly segment of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Section 126 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, says nobody should “convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election”.
{{/usCountry}}After voting on Tuesday, the PM was driven out in an open jeep from Booth No. 118 at Nishant High School in Ranip to Nishant School in the Sabarmati Assembly segment of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Section 126 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, says nobody should “convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election”.
{{/usCountry}}A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson said it was not a roadshow “since the PM did not wave at the crowds”.
“Let the Commission seek a reply from us, we will respond,”they said.
EC, which is yet to take a call on the earlier complaints against Modi, did not offer any comment on Tuesday’s complaint.
The EC has twice issued directions to all parties to refrain from referring to or using pictures of armed forces personnel for their electoral propaganda.
PM Modi’s campaign, the Congress alleged, has been “fixated on two themes; first, a vile attempt to... co-opt the achievements and sacrifices of our armed forces (for which he has yet to be acted against by this Hon’ble Commission) and second, a theme of religious polarisation.”
Addressing the media, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “….We have told the EC earlier as well as today that if they can take action against the UP chief minister, against a Congress leader from Punjab, and against a sitting minister of the Modi Cabinet, then why are they reluctant to take action against the PM.”
This is not the first time that the poll body has received a complaint against the PM. The Commission is currently “examining” two previous complaints of poll code violation against him.
A complaint was filed on April 1 by the Congress, after his speech in Wardha where the PM allegedly said the opposition party was “scared” to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority community dominates.
The EC’s Model Code of Conduct or MCC bars references to religion or communities.
The second complaint was made on April 9 by the Congress, alleging that during his address to first time voters in Latur, the PM breached the poll code by referring to the February 26 strikes on a terrorist camp in Balakot, Pakistan, by the Air Force.
On being asked about the status of these complaints, deputy election commissioner Chandra Bhushan said, the body has received the authorized transcripts of the PM’s speeches and the “matter is under consideration.”