BJP approaches EC; demands action against Congress leaders for 'abusive' language against Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Stepping up the offensive, BJP on Tuesday approached the Election Commission against Congress, accusing the latter's senior leaders of using 'foul and abusive' language against Narendra Modi.

"One after the other, Congress leaders have been using abusive language and have been targeting our PM candidate Narendra Modi and BJP. It is a conspiracy to spoil the image of Modi and BJP," said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

"Someone is calling him (Modi) a Hitler, Yamraj. Congress is not ready to fight elections based on issues. They are trying to spoil the election atmosphere," Naqvi accused. "We have told the Election Commission, that be it Beni Prasad Verma or Kapil Sibal, there is a need to take strict action against Congress leaders," Naqvi added.

"Kapil Sibal has used language that violates code of conduct. He has made baseless allegations against Modi and Amit Shah," Naqvi hit out. "Congress fears that it will be defeated in the elections. It has lost its mental balance," Naqvi added.

Congress had on Monday said Modi is a "potential accused" in the Tulsiram Prajapati murder case and should be interrogated by CBI, hours after the BJP's prime ministerial candidate promised to cleanse the political system and Parliament of criminal elements.

Senior party leader and Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal also demanded the arrest and interrogation of Parag Shah, who was earlier working in the Gujarat CM's office, claiming he had detailed talks with the police officer concerned who allegedly executed the murder of Prajapati.

"This evidence has come for the first time, which shows that the Chief Minister's Office was directly involved in what was happening" with regard to the encounters, Sibal said, submitting call detail records of conversation between Parag with Rajkumar Pandian, who "planned and executed the murder of Prajapati".

He said Parag, who was appointed Officer on Special Duty (IT) in Chief Minister's Office was also "associated with cyber cell of the Anti Terrorist Squad. "Parag was also PA to senior BJP leader L K Advani from June to December 1998, when he was the Union Home Minister," Sibal stated in the press note which, he said, also carries details of CBI charge sheet into the fake encounter cases.

"There can hardly be any doubt that the Chief Minister must have been aware of the Prajapati encounter carried out by the police officers working in the ATS led by DIG DG Vanzara," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)