New Delhi: The Election Commission on Thursday has sought response from the Congress and BJP by April 29 over alleged model code of conduct violation by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi.
The Election Commission, in a letter addressed to BJP National President JP Nadda, stated the crucial role of star campaigners in maintaining a high standard of political discourse. The commission stressed the importance of these campaigners in providing a national perspective to the electoral discourse, which can sometimes be overshadowed by local contestations.
Nadda was instructed to relay this message to all star campaigners within the BJP, asking them to uphold the integrity of political dialogue. Additionally, the EC has directed him to provide a regarding complaints raised by the Congress, CPI, and CPI (ML) by 11 am on April 29.
The complaints were lodged by the Congress and two other opposition parties following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in Banswara, Rajasthan. During the rally, the prime minister’s remarks regarding the Congress manifesto stirred controversy, particularly his statement about gold distribution among mothers and sisters. The opposition parties raised objections to Modi’s assertion about the previous government’s stance on the allocation of assets to Muslims.
The poll body in a letter to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, directed him to convey the same message to the grand old party’s star campaigners about the quality of discourse expected from them. It also attached a copy of complaint lodged by the BJP against Gandhi.
The BJP shared reports from Gandhi’s reported address in Kottayam, Kerala, where it is claimed he stated, “When a daughter graduates from university, her parents express their joy in Malayalam. When a brother mourns the loss of another brother, he communicates in Malayalam. Therefore, Kerala is Malayalam, and Malayalam is Kerala.”
“I hear the Prime Minister delivering speeches advocating ‘one nation, one language, and one religion.’ How can one dictate to the people of Tamil Nadu not to speak Tamil, or to the people of Kerala not to speak Malayalam?” He allegedly said.
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