EC meeting today to consider Modis remark on Sohrabuddin Sheikh

The Election Commission (EC) is meeting today to consider its response on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modis inflammatory remarks about the 2005 fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.

New Delhi, Dec 9 : The Election Commission (EC) is meeting today to consider its response on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's "inflammatory" remarks about the 2005 fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.

The EC has also sought a reply on Congress president Sonia Gandhi's remarks about Modi being a ''merchant of death.''

The Bharatiya Janata Party had told the EC to take action against the Congress party alleging that the latter started the war of words.

Modi on Saturday completely denied the charge levelled against him for violating the model code of conduct by invoking religious sentiments for meeting political ends, and said that the notice issued by the EC in this regard was based on the "basis of unverified and false media reports."

He also tried to justify his statements against Sohrabuddin saying that it was in retaliation to the provocation by Sonia Gandhi

"It is my political response to (Sonia) Gandhi's allegation that I am 'Maut-ka-Sodagar" (Merchant of death). I have replied back alleging that the Congress party is helping those who have spread terrorism in the country," he wrote in the letter to the commission.

Yesterday, the Gujarat Government's former counsel in the Supreme Court, K T S Tulsi had said that Modi's remarks justifying killing of Sohrabuddin was completely opposite to the stand taken by the State Government in the apex court.

The Gujarat Government had submitted to the Supreme Court that the encounter of Sohrabuddin by the Gujarat police in November 2005 in the state was "fake".

After Tulsi resigned the State Government had appointed Supreme Court lawyer Ranjit Kumar to fight its case.

At an election rally in Jamnagar District on December 4, Modi admitted that Sohrabuddin's encounter did happen in Gujarat, saying the latter got what he deserved.

"Yes, Sohrabuddin's encounter happened in Gujarat, and if Sonia Gandhi wants she can hang me for this," said Modi.

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.

ANI