EC issues notice to Modi
The election Commission on Thursday issued a notice to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi seeking his reply on why action should not be taken against him for having violated the model code of conduct by making remarks that seemed to justify the ...
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The election Commission on Thursday issued a notice to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi seeking his reply on why action should not be taken against him for having violated the model code of conduct by making remarks that seemed to justify the killing of terror suspect Sohrabuddin in a police encounter.
The EC was acting on a complaint by activist Teesta Setalvad alleging that Mr Modi’s speech amounted to “an open exhortation to violence and misuse of religion for political ends, and so violates of the model code of conduct apart from being violation of the Rule of Law.”
The Commission, which also scanned the CD of his December 4 campaign speech at Mangrol, said that “prima facie, it is of the view that the references to the late Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism...amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between communities and would involve violation of the provision of clause Clause (1) and (3) of the poll code, in force in Gujarat, require all political parties and candidates not to indulge in activity which may aggravate communal differences and also desist from appeals to caste or communal feelings to secure votes. The EC notice gives Mr Modi time until 11 am on December 8 to reply.
Given that the notice to Mr Modi only speaks of violation of the poll code, which does not have any legal backing, there is little that the Commission can do but pass strictures in case he is held guilty of having stoked communal sentiments.
His apparent justification of the encounter killing of Sohrabuddin created a furore, with Gujarat counsel K T S Tulsi threatening to resign if the chief minister did not apologise. Political temperatures also soared with the CPI demanding his disqualification from contesting the state election and the CPM stating that “it reminded them of the hanging of Scarlett brothers in Hitler’s Germany.”
The EC was acting on a complaint by activist Teesta Setalvad alleging that Mr Modi’s speech amounted to “an open exhortation to violence and misuse of religion for political ends, and so violates of the model code of conduct apart from being violation of the Rule of Law.”
The Commission, which also scanned the CD of his December 4 campaign speech at Mangrol, said that “prima facie, it is of the view that the references to the late Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism...amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between communities and would involve violation of the provision of clause Clause (1) and (3) of the poll code, in force in Gujarat, require all political parties and candidates not to indulge in activity which may aggravate communal differences and also desist from appeals to caste or communal feelings to secure votes. The EC notice gives Mr Modi time until 11 am on December 8 to reply.
Given that the notice to Mr Modi only speaks of violation of the poll code, which does not have any legal backing, there is little that the Commission can do but pass strictures in case he is held guilty of having stoked communal sentiments.
His apparent justification of the encounter killing of Sohrabuddin created a furore, with Gujarat counsel K T S Tulsi threatening to resign if the chief minister did not apologise. Political temperatures also soared with the CPI demanding his disqualification from contesting the state election and the CPM stating that “it reminded them of the hanging of Scarlett brothers in Hitler’s Germany.”
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