Congress seeks action against Modi, Shah for violation of model code

NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday night petitioned the Election Commission demanding FIR against PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, finance minister Arun Jaitley and railway minister Piyush Goyal for “violating the model code of conduct”.

A Congress delegation comprising Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot, Anand Sharma, Randeep Surjewala and others submitted a memorandum to EC, protesting against show cause notice to Rahul Gandhi and FIR against some TV channels for airing Gandhi’s interview on the eve of Gujarat polls.

Urging EC to be “fair and neutral”, and ensure “level-playing field”, the Congress team asked EC why no similar charge of violation of code of conduct was initiated against PM Modi for “misusing FICCI platform” to speak against Congress on Wednesday evening or Amit Shah for “giving interviews to TV channels at Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday”.


Congress also asked EC how Jaitley releasing BJP manifesto on the eve of first phase of Gujarat poll was, then, not treated as violation of code of conduct, and how Piyush Goyal could claim at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon itself that EC will file FIR against Gandhi and TV channels.

The Congress side also reminded EC that when Modi gave TV interview a day before the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, no FIR was registered against him.