Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 30
Giving a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Election Commission today said there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct in his speech at Wardha in which he had said the Opposition was “scared” to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority dominated.
Modi’s speech was in reference to Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest the Lok Sabha election from the minority-dominated Wayanad constituency in Kerala. The PM had also allegedly sought votes in the name of the armed forces.
Announcing the decision of the poll panel, the EC spokesperson said, “The matter relating to poll violation by the PM in Wardha, Maharashtra, on April 1 has been examined in detail in accordance with the extant, guidelines and provisions of the MCC, the Representation of the People Act and the report of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra. Accordingly, the commission is of the considered view that in this matter, no such violation has been noticed.”
Modi had accused the Congress of insulting the Hindus. “Leaders of that party are now scared of contesting from constituencies dominated by the majority (Hindu) population. That is why they are forced to take refuge in places where the majority is in a minority,” the PM was reported to have said.
The Congress had complained to the Election Commission against Modi for his speech and sought action against his alleged “divisive” speech. The Congress alleged that the PM made some “hateful, vile and divisive” remarks against Rahul Gandhi.
The EC’s decision came on a day when the Supreme Court sought response from the poll panel on Congress MP Sushmita Dev’s plea accusing the Election Commission of inaction on her party’s complaints of MCC violation against Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2vEBhrv
via Today’s News Headlines
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