Stung by Narendra Modi’s description of Sonia Gandhi as “ill” and other controversial comments, Congress today again moved the EC against remarks made by the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate during the Chhattisgarh poll campaign.
The Congress has demanded withdrawal of recognition to BJP in view of the alleged “persistent violations” by the party and its leaders which, it said, was an “impediment” in the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections.
In a complaint to the Election Commission, the AICC legal cell convenor K. C. Bansal said Modi has “deliberately and intentionally” made these “derogatory and uncivilised remarks” on more than one occasion against Gandhi as also her son and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.
The party has especially cited the remarks made by Modi like, “I want to ask
This, it said, was violative of the guidelines issued by the EC which prohibit political parties and leaders from criticising all aspects of private lives of leaders of other parties.
Modi has been “wilfully flouting” the model code of conduct and making statements in its “utter disregard and defiance, it said.
He also referred to a TV interview of Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj in which she had said Rahul Gandhi is “confused”.
“It seems to be the strategy of the BJP and its leaders to make personal attacks against Congress leaders...The remarks are unwarranted and unjustified and a wholly personalised attack aimed at exposing Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to ridicule in the eyes of the public.
“Such remarks have no place or justification in legitimate political discourse and transcends all limits of propriety political or otherwise,” the party contended before the EC in the complaint made yesterday.
Modi and other BJP leaders were “habitual” of violating the model code and the “persistent violation is an impediment” in the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections, the Congress told the poll panel.