Congress Demands PM Modi’s Disqualification Over ‘Provocative’ Speech
Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of violating election laws and inciting discord between religious communities in his recent speech in Rajasthan. The party has demanded Modi’s disqualification for serious breaches of Section 123(2), 123 (3A), and 123 (4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as well as other provisions of the IPC.
Congress leaders Abhishek Singhvi, Gurdeep Sappal, and Supriya Shrinate met with the poll watchdog for detailed discussions and argued that “not just the PM, but the Election Commission is on trial.” They added that the EC’s past “inaction” has emboldened BJP and Modi to commit repeat offenses.
Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has sought time from Modi to “educate” him about the Congress manifesto. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said the PM is rattled by the response to Congress’s ‘nyay’ promises, which has forced him to “spread lies and Hindu-Muslim narratives to hide his monumental failure as the PM.”
Singhvi said naming of a religious group and blaming it for the deprivation of the majority while using the Hindu imagery of ‘mangalsutra’ is “aimed at creating enmity between groups, far worse than any ever made by a sitting PM in the history of India, which cannot go unpunished.”
Congress has also accused BJP of using religion, the Ayodhya issue, and armed forces to seek votes, changing the color of Doordarshan’s logo to saffron, and a media channel’s provocative programs. They claim that Modi’s “desperate utterances” are a result of the ominous feedback BJP has received about the ground situation and the first phase of voting.
Kharge rubbished Modi’s claims including his bid to caricature the party manifesto as having the imprint of “Muslim League.” He emphasized Congress’s commitments to women, youth, and marginalized communities as evidence against such allegations.
Congress has lamented that despite numerous complaints, the EC has not even issued a showcause notice to the PM and BJP. They have questioned whether the same leeway would be granted to any other candidate who repeatedly violated the laws of the country.
