The Election Commission (EC) today came down heavily on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for violating the model code of conduct during the Gujarat Assembly polls.
New Delhi, Dec 22 : The Election Commission (EC) today came down heavily on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for violating the model code of conduct during the Gujarat Assembly polls.
The Commission said Modi's remark over the fake encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, and Sonia remark on "merchants of death" were violation of code of conduct.
"The justification provided for the above referred utterances as reaction and counterblast to certain propaganda, as alleged by you (Modi), to have been carried out against you can also hardly be accepted, " the commission said in its communication to Modi.
The Commission has conveyed its displeasure and advised you to be more cautious in future so that the salutary provisions of model code of conduct are adhered to and duly observed in letter and spirit, the communication added.
The EC in its communication to both Sonia and Modi said that it couldn't help "expressing anguish over the fact that sagacious advice and high expectations of the apex court seemed to have been belied in the instant case."
At an election rally in Jamnagar District on December 4, Modi admitted that Sohrabuddin's encounter did happen in Gujarat, and the crowd said that the latter got what he deserved.
Sohrabuddin was reportedly gunned down on November 26, 2005 after being branded a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant by the state police, allegedly trying to hatch a conspiracy to kill Modi. The cops also allegedly killed Sohrabuddin's wife, Kausar Bi.
Modi had alleged that Sonia's statement which referred to "merchants of death" in Gujarat provoked him to respond and refer to Sheikh Sohrabuddin.
Meanwhile, the Commission has also advised Congress leader Digvijay Singh to be "more cautious in future so that the salutary provisions of model code of conduct are adhered to and duly observed in its letter and spirit."
The EC has also issued a notice to Congress MP Rajiv Shukla for his reported comments at an election rally in Valsad on December 7 where he had said, "(M A) Jinnah-follower Modi was the Osama Bin Laden of Gujarat."
"It is prima facie of the view that the statement made in the speech amounts to violation of provisions of model code of conduct," the poll body said and sought a reply from Shukla.
ANI