General elections 2014: AAP files complaint accusing BJP MLA Jyotsana Srivastava of inciting violence

VARANASI: The Aam Aadmi Party today filed a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP MLA Jyotsana Srivastava accusing her of asking party workers to forcibly drive out AAP volunteers if they enter the houses of residents here to campaign for Arvind Kejriwal.

In its complaint to Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh Umesh Sinha, AAP alleged that the Varanasi cantonment MLA had delivered a "provocative speech" at a public meeting yesterday with the "intention of inciting violence".

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal is locked in a high-profile electoral battle against BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi here.

Claiming that the comment by Srivastava was a clear violation of model code of conduct, the AAP demanded that a criminal case under relevant sections be filed against the legislator.

"Srivastava for provoking people with the clear intention of inciting violence. What is more serious is that the statement was made in the presence of BJP's Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah whose track record is well known to the Election Commission also.

"The Aam Aadmi Party demands that a criminal case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code be registered against," the complaint filed by AAP leader Gopal Mohan said.

Mohan said the BJP MLA's statement amounts to preventing the party volunteers from carrying out their campaign, which will hamper the "conduct of a free and fair election".

"Such attempts should be nipped in the bud in the interest of democracy," he said.

The AAP has brought a large number of volunteers from Delhi to campaign here and there have been incidents in which they had verbal duals with BJP supporters in many areas in the last few days.

The AAP has started a massive door-to-door campaign in many areas of the city which according to some AAP leaders have not gone down well with the BJP.

BJP campaign managers feel Kejriwal has been trying to woo the Muslim community in an effort to polarise the campaign on religious lines.

Soon after arriving here last week, Kejriwal had met Benares Shahar-e-Kazi Ghulam Nasir and sought his support. The AAP leader had addressed several corner meetings and participated in road shows in Muslim dominated areas.

There are around 1.5 lakh Muslim voters among the total electorate of 16 lakh in the constituency. Polling in Varanasi will be held in the last phase on May 12.