New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a showcause notice to Rahul Gandhi and asked him to appear before it on November 25.
The notice is based on a complaint from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Congress leader’s remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a recent election rally in Rajasthan’s Barmer.
“It is alleged that comparing a Prime Minister to a ‘jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and using the word ‘panauti’ is unbecoming of a very senior leader of national political party. Further, the allegation of grant of waivers of Rs 14,00,000 crore for the past nine years, is asserted by the BJP as not borne out on facts,” ECI said in a statement on Thursday.
Rahul had said last week that the pickpocket ‘never comes alone’.
“There are three people. One comes from the front, one from the back and one from a distance… Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s job is to divert your attention. He comes on TV from the front and distracts the public by raising topics of Hindu-Muslim, demonetisation and GST. Meanwhile, Adani comes from behind and takes the money,” Rahul remarked.
In its complaint, BJP said: “Calling any person for that instance a Jaibkatra not only amounts to vicious abuse and personal attack but also a character assassination of that person against whom such remark has been made with a clear intent to harm his reputation and mislead the public.”
