Third clean chit for Prime Minister, first for Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission gave a third clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday ruling that there was no violation of the model code of conduct in his Barmer speech where he said India is no longer afraid of Pakistan’s nuclear threats.

It also ruled that Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Jabalpur where he made a reference to BJP President Amit Shah as a ‘murder accused’, did not violate the model code of conduct.

With this, the Commission has disposed of three complaints against the PM so far. PM Modi’s speech in Wardha with religion specific references, another in Latur where he referred to the Balakot operation and the Pulwama attack have also been found to be clear of model code violations by the poll panel.


There is still a complaint regarding his speech in Patan which is under scrutiny.

“India has stopped getting scared of Pakistan’s threats, I have done right, no? Else every other day they (Pakistan) used to say ‘we have nuclear button’….What do we have then? Have we kept it (nuclear button) for Diwali?” he had said in Barmer.

The Congress had complained to the Election Commission on the matter alleging that the PM “brazenly” violated the poll code by making repeated references to the armed forces in his speeches.

The Congress had demanded a campaign ban against the PM.

The EC had sought a report and transcript of the PM’s speech from the district electoral authorities for examination. The poll panel’s communication to Congress says that it had examined the 10 page transcript and “is of the considered view that in this matter no such violation” of the provisions of the model code.

In case of Rahul Gandhi, the BJP had complained to the EC against his election speech on April 23 in Jabalpur where he is alleged to have referred to BJP’s national president Amit Shah as a “murder accused”.

Gandhi was making references regarding the allegations against Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. The EC has concluded after going through the transcript of the speech “the Commission is of the view that MCC was not violated".