Election Commission refuses to buy Narendra Modi logic on khooni panja

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) rapped BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday for his controversial “khooni panja” (murderous paw) remark made at a poll rally in Chhattisgarh.

Not convinced by Modi’s argument that his remark was a colloquial phrase and a figurative way to describe the oppressive regime of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh, the electoral watchdog expressed its displeasure on his conduct and cautioned him to be more careful in future.

EC’s notice to Modi has come after it issued a similar caution to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi over his remark alleging that the ISI was wooing Muslim youth after the Muzzafarnagar riots.

“Commission considers that while criticizing the policies, programmes and past records of political parties also, the expressions and utterances, even when used colloquially, have to be couched in such terms that the same conform to dignity, decorum and public morality,” the ECI said in its order issued late Wednesday evening.

The EC had issued a showcause notice to the BJP’s PM candidate on November 13 after the Congress party lodged a complaint against his vitriolic attack at an election rally in Dongargaon, Chhattisgarh, on November 7.

In a direct reference to the Congress party, Modi had urged his audience to save the state from the “khooni panja” (murderous paw) and vote for the BJP.