Modi's Ram Rajya remarks no violation of law: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP said Narendra Modi's "Ram Rajya" remarks at a rally were used for good governance as per Indian traditions and did not violate any law.

"If he has talked about Ram Rajya, according to our traditions when we talk of good governance we talk of Ram Rajya," BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said.

The former Finance Minister said Modi had not violated any law by saying so and the party will reply accordingly if the Election Commission issues a notice to him.

"EC has taken note of it. If EC gives a notice, we will give a reply," Sinha said.

The Election Commission is already looking into the "Ram Rajya" remarks made by Modi in Faizabad while addressing a rally and has sought a report from the district authorities about his speech and the stage backdrop.

Modi addressed a rally in Faizabad in support of party candidate Lallu Singh from a dais which had pictures of Lord Ram and the proposed Ram temple model in Ayodhya.

At the rally, the BJP PM candidate skirted any reference to his party's pet theme of building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, which is the epicentre of Ram Mandir movement, but made several references to Lord Ram to exhort people to defeat Congress, SP and BSP and support BJP.

Congress also accused Modi of using religion for canvassing by putting out Lord Ram's portrait in the backdrop at his Faizabad rally and approached the Election Commission demanding registration of an FIR against him and other party leaders as well as derecognition of BJP.

Reacting to the barrage of Congress complaints against BJP to EC, Sinha said "I will plead that there should be an expressway made between the Congress office and the Election Commission."

To a question on BJP breaking an unwritten code by campaigning in Amethi, Sinha said "we are not breaking any tradition. This has not been a strong tradition".

He, however, said, "a lot many traditions have been broken by this government and its ministers. Whenever we go abroad, we don't criticise the government or leaders but UPA ministers have broken this code."