Election Commission Issues Notices To BJP, Congress Over Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi Speeches

The Election Commission on Saturday (16 November) sought explanations from BJP and Congress presidents, asking them to explain the comments made by their star campaigners Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi.

The comments allegedly violate the poll code.

BJP chief JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have to submit their responses by 1 pm on Monday, two days before polls close for Maharashtra and Jharkhand (which will be conducting second phase of polling), NDTV reported.

The BJP had filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Congress leader "falsely accused other states of stealing and snatching alleged opportunities from the State of Maharashtra" in a speech in Mumbai on 6 November.

"Rahul Gandhi with his statements is inciting the youths of Maharashtra which is immensely dangerous for the unity and integrity of the nation. As only expected and in line with his typical pattern of campaigning and general conduct, Rahul Gandhi's speech was full of falsehood and lies, intending to create disaffection, enmity and ill-will between the states of Union of India. Rahul Gandhi with his misleading statement has tried to create a divide between the people of Maharashtra and Gujarat & other states," the BJP said in its complaint on 11 November.

In a counter-complaint, the Congress accused Amit Shah of delivering "slew of false, divisive, malicious, and slanderous statements about the Indian National Congress (INC) and its allies" during an election rally in Jharkhand's Dhanbad on 12 November.

"During his speech, Amit Shah alleged that the INC and its allies were; (a) against Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs); (b) promoting terrorism in the country. In what has become a common narrative across the BJP's campaign in Jharkhand, Amit Shah has also accused the INC of planning to take away reservations from members of the ST, SC and OBC communities and granting them to members of a particular religious minority community," said the Congress in its complaint on 13 November.

The Congress alleged that Amit Shah's remarks were made with the "sole intent of inciting voters on the grounds of religion and caste; in order to consolidate votes and inducing them into voting for the BJP by stoking communal insecurity".

The model code of conduct prohibits activities that may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.

It also specifies that criticism of other political parties shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.

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