The Election Commission on Wednesday expressed displeasure over Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's remarks linking Pakistan ISI with Muzaffarnagar riot victims and and accusing BJP of spreading hatred among communities.
The EC has expressed its displeasure to Gandhi and asked him to be more circumspect in his public utterances in future. "Portions of your speech were not in consonance with letter and spirit of the model code of conduct," the Commission said.
The Commission added, "The Election Commission acknowledges Rahul's intention but takes exception to tone and tenor of his speech."
The Commission said it is not satisfied by the reply filed by Rahul.
BJP had complained to the Commission that Rahul's election speeches in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had violated the model code of conduct by appealing for votes on communal lines and inciting hatred among different communities.
The Election Commission then had asked Gandhi to explain his remarks made at rallies in Churu (Rajasthan) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh), saying the BJP was responsible for the September violence in Muzaffarnagar.
Gandhi had also reportedly alleged that the Pakistani intelligence was in touch some of the riot victims -- a remark that created a furore.
The poll panel had sent the notice to Gandhi after the BJP lodged a complaint.
In Indore, Rahul had in his speech claimed that intelligence agencies in Pakistan were approaching some victims of Muzaffarnagar riots to lure them to terrorism.
"BJP felt that unless there is a Hindu versus Muslim situation in Uttar Pradesh, they would not do well. So, they set this fire," Rahul alleged, adding it was Congress which had "doused the fire".
Rahul had claimed the intelligence official told him he was convincing the youngsters to stay away from the influence of Pakistani operatives.
"They (BJP) have set this fire, now who will douse it? Wherever they go, they set this fire thinking they will benefit in the elections. But they don't see that it damages the country," Rahul said.
In a sharp attack on the BJP at a series of rallies in Churu and Alwar in Rajasthan, Rahul had alleged its "politics of anger and hate" was fanning communal tensions and damaging the country's secular fabric.
"I was seeing my face in their grief. That is why I am against their (BJP's) politics....What do they do. They will put Muzaffarnagar on fire, Gujarat on fire, UP on fire and Kashmir on fire and then you and we will have to douse that. This damages the country," he had said.
The EC Notice:
(With agency inputs)
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