After Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, the Election Commission has sought explanation from mascot of Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal for appealing to Muslims on religious lines.
The commission issued a notice on complaint filed by Harish Khurana, son of former chief minister of Delhi Madan Lal Khurana, accusing Kejriwal of describing BJP as a communal party while asking Muslims to vote for his party.
“In Delhi, BJP is a communal party. Till today, Muslims do not have an alternative. Now the Muslims have an honest and secular alternative,” Kejriwal said in a pamphlet distributed during campaign in various parts of the city.
The EC found that distributing the pamphlet was prima facie violation of the model code, which prohibits seeking votes on caste and communal lines. “Mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election propaganda,” the code says. The EC has power to de-recognise a party for violation of the code but it has never been used.
The EC has given time to Kejriwal till November 25 for replying to the notice or else the commission would process by taking action without any further notice.
{{/usCountry}}The EC has given time to Kejriwal till November 25 for replying to the notice or else the commission would process by taking action without any further notice.
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