On a November 8 rally in Madhya Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that PM Narendra Modi has handed over government companies to his industrialist friends…reports Asian Lite News
The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over her “false statement” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh where model code of conduct has come into force.
The commission has asked the Congress leader to explain the statement by November 16 by 8:00 pm, as to why appropriate action for violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) as well as provisions of election and penal laws should not be taken against her.
The notice from the Elections Commission came following a complaint filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the poll body that while addressing a public rally at Sanwer Assembly Constituency in Madhya Pradesh, “she made unverified and false statements in respect of PM Narendra Modi that have the potential to mislead the public and tarnish the image of PM.”
“You are hereby called upon to explain your statement made against star campaigner of another National Party and to show cause by 2000 hrs of 16th November 2023 as to why appropriate action for violation of Model Code of Conduct should not be taken against you,” the poll body said in the notice issued to Priyanka.
The ECI further said that clause 2 of Part I ‘General Conduct’of Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of Political Parties and Candidates’ provides–“Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.”
Other parties or their workers shall not be criticised based on unverified allegations or distortions, it added.
Notably, also the Supreme Court, in the Guruji Shrihari Baliram Jivatode vs Vithalrao case (1969) held that the political history of even countries like England shows that sensational false election propaganda against a political party, particularly on the eve of an election might upset the party’s electoral fortune. But the advantage gained from free criticism–though sometimes it may turn out to be irresponsible–in the long run outweighs the disadvantages.
Earlier on November 8, Addressing a rally in support of Congress candidates in Sanwer in the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over government companies to his industrialist friends.
“Modi ji, the BHEL from which we used to get employment and the country was moving forward, what did you do with this? To whom did you give it? Why did you give this to your industrialist friends?” Priyanka Gandhi said.
The poll commission also said that whereas, the public generally believes that the statements made by the senior leader that too of a star campaigner of a national party, are true, it is expected that such a leader is privy to and possesses a factual base of the statements made by him/her. (ANI)
Modi’s Remarks on Rahul Triggers Barb Between BJP, Cong
The Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been indulged in a war of words over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Rahul Gandhi wherein the PM called the Wayanad MP ‘Murkhon Ke Sardar’ after the latter’s claim on the dominance of “Made in China” mobile phones in India.
Hitting back at PM Modi, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said that the PM has ‘abused’ the public with his remarks against the Congress leader.
“The Prime Minister’s ego has increased so much that now he is abusing the public,” he said.
However, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the public to which Baghel was referring would be living on some other planet, not in India.
“…Once a person said Indira is India and India is Indira, that time has passed. If Bhupesh Baghel thinks that Rahul Gandhi is the public then that public will not be the public living in India, that public would be living on some other planet. No Indian public considers themself to be one with Rahul Gandhi…” Sarma said.
He also said that what the PM spoke about Rahul Gandhi is ‘definitely true’.
“…Yes he definitely is. There is nothing new in that. People all over India know what he is. You must have seen him in Parliament how he used to approach the Prime Minister…He keeps talking about ‘Mohabbat’ and ‘Dukaan’. Can ‘Mohabbat’ and ‘Dukaan’ be together? ‘Mohabbat’ means true love and ‘Dukaan’ is for sale and purchase…So love can never have a shop. Someone gives a script to Rahul Gandhi and he just reads it. He is trying to show him as an angry young man. So that’s why I think that what the Prime Minister has said, everyone in India knows it. This is what is in everyone’s mind,” he added.
PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without taking his name and mocked the Wayanad MP calling him ‘Murkhon Ke sardar’ after the latter’s claim on the dominance of “Made in China” mobile phones in India.
Addressing a rally in Betul district of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the PM took a swipe at the Congress and said that the leaders of the party have this mental disease of not recognising the achievements of their own countrymen.
“One wise leader of the Congress said yesterday that everyone in India has ‘Made in China’ mobile phones. Arre Murkhon ke Sardar, (the leader of stupid people) in which world do you live! The leaders of the Congress have this mental disease of not recognising the achievements of their own countrymen,” the PM said.
He further said that he ‘wondered’ which foreign lens the Congress leaders use as they are absolutely clueless about what is happening in the country.
“The leaders of the Congress are flying so high that they can’t see the poor on the ground and are also clueless about the ground realities,” the Prime Minister said.
Further, he claimed that India has now become the second leading manufacturer of mobile phones in the world.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP government and claimed that the Indian market is being dominated by Chinese products.
“Today, we see ‘Made in China’ on shirts, cameras, mobile phones. Have you ever seen ‘Made in Madhya Pradesh’ written on any product? The Congress wants to start factories in Madhya Pradesh so that the youth of the state get job opportunities. We hope a day comes when a youth takes out his mobile phone in China and that phone has been manufactured in Madhya Pradesh,” Rahul had said at a rally in Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)