EC notice on Yogi Adityanath for poll code breach

BJP’s motor mouth Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath who is campaigning in the UP by-polls has been served a notice by the election commission for poll code violation over his September 7 speech he delivered at Noida.

BJP’s motor mouth Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath who is campaigning in the UP by-polls has been served a notice by the election commission for poll code violation over his September 7 speech he delivered at Noida.

Treating certain portions of his speech as violation of the model code of conduct, the EC has sought Yogi’s explanation by Wednesday.

Incidentally Yogi has four public meetings including one in Lucknow lined up on Wednesday. The district election officer, Gautam Buddha Nagar had sent a report on Yogi’s speech along with a CD and press clippings to the EC. The EC has underlined the fact that making an appeal to vote on grounds of religion, race, caste and community during elections is a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People Act 1951.

The portions of speech on which EC has served notice on Yogi too have been highlighted in the EC order. In these selected portions, Yogi is reported to have commented on UP government’s alleged appeasement policy by giving example of the Moradabad’s temple incident and had reportedly remarked that ‘Hindus won’t stand injustice and exploitation anymore.’ The EC has also found several other remarks by Yogi objectionable.

"Such a DGP who cannot keep the honor of his men intact and their morale high must immediately quit on moral grounds," Pathak said. Banerjee had earlier courted controversy for his rather loose remarks on 'rape'.