Cong files complaint with EC against PM for his remarks on its manifesto

NEW DELHI: As the campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls gathers momentum, the Congress on Monday made the first complaint to the Election Commission of India against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking the poll body to act against the Prime Minister for his remarks on the party’s manifesto where he compared it to the Muslim League’s thoughts before Independence.

The Congress complaint alleged PM Modi had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the Indian Penal Code provisions regarding spreading enmity between groups on the basis of religion. The Congress cited the PM’s remarks at a rally in Ajmer on April 6, where he called the Congress’ manifesto a “bundle of lies” and that it had the intent of “imposing thoughts that the Muslim League had before Independence”.

In its complaint, the party said the comments made by PM Modi were in direct and complete violation of the Model Code of Conduct that is presently in effect and also constitute offences punishable under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (Section 153).

“By propagating false, uninformed and vexatious claims, Narendra Modi has attempted to evoke an emotional response from the electorate by using the horrors of Partition in a bid to polarise voters. Such instances of calculated and malicious comments by PM Modi and the BJP are nothing out of the ordinary but rather a part of the larger party-wide concerted effort of arousing communal discord to secure a larger vote share,” the Congress alleged.

It added that the PM’s remarks also endangered the well-being of Congress supporters as he made the public believe that the Congress wishes to “divide India. It is extremely necessary that this Hon’ble Commission must be stern and swift in taking action against PM Modi’s conduct in raising communal tensions in the Indian society,” the Congress complaint, which was signed by Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, said.

The complaint was one of six submitted by a delegation of Congress leaders on Monday, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

“This is the time for the Election Commission to demonstrate its independence by ensuring a level playing field for all parties. We live in hope that the Hon’ble Commission will uphold its Constitutional mandate. For our part, we will continue to pursue all avenues, political and legal, to expose this regime,” Ramesh said.

In another complaint, the party sought action against the BJP for videos of the PM with Defence personnel being used in the campaign. The Congress cited Union Minister Smriti Irani’s post on X on April 7, which had one such video. It added that this was not the first time. Earlier, on March 18, the Congress had informed the EC about an advertisement of the PM that had defence forces.

The Congress said the repeated use of images and videos of Defence personnel was a violation of the EC’s 2013 and 2019 advisories, where it said that photos of defence personnel and functions should not be used in campaigning.

The Congress also lodged complaints about the life-size cut-outs of Modi around Delhi University and Doordarshan’s broadcast of The Kerala Story, “a work of fiction that vilifies a religious community”.

A delegation of Congress leaders met EC officials and raised these issues. After meeting the EC officials, Congress leader Pawan Khera said: “We have raised such points before the EC on which we have also discussed earlier and have been registering our objections. Pictures of the prime minister wearing a military uniform are being misused during the election campaign. There is already an advisory of the EC that this cannot be done during elections. We have urged the EC to take action on this issue as the BJP is continuously committing such crimes.”

Khera was accompanied by party leaders Mukul Wasnik, Salman Khurshid and Gurdeep Sappal.

The Opposition party also raised its earlier complaint made to the EC on April 6 against Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar for allegedly giving false information pertaining to his financial status in his election affidavit, in contravention of the provisions of the Representation of People Act, Indian Penal Code and the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court.

The Congress said photographs of ministers and other political functionaries cannot be displayed in government-owned buildings and premises as the same would go against the principles of “level-playing field”.