Concerned citizens, the Congress and Left parties have complained to the Election Commission of India against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s divisive remarks in Rajasthan on Sunday, asking it to act and flagging its past failures to do so.
Modi had at a rally in Banswara said the Congress manifesto pledged to confiscate citizens’ assets, including the mangalsutras of “mothers and sisters”, and distribute them among Muslims. The Congress has denied this.
Modi had also claimed his predecessor Manmohan Singh had said that minorities had the first right over the country’s resources.
A statement to the poll panel, signed by 17,421 people at the initiative of a group called Watan Ke Raah Mein Samvidhan Bachao Nagrik Abhiyan, on Monday said: “One can imagine the impact of this speech on the minds of the people, Hindus and Muslims both....
“Nowhere does it (Manmohan Singh government’s statement in 2006) say that Muslims would have the first right over the wealth of the nation. But Shri Modi distorted the statement and peddled a lie with a clear objective of creating fear in the Hindus that the opposition Congress Party would give the wealth of the country to Muslims.
Shri Modi equated Muslims as a population which produces more children and is
infiltrators.”
The signatories included Delhi University professor Apoorvanand, social activist Shabnam Hashmi and former Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung.
“You would agree that the latest speech of Shri Narendra Modi is aimed at creating tension and enmity between Hindus and Muslims and instigating Hindus to see Muslims as infiltrators and (as) their enemies,” the statement said.
“We request you therefore to censure Shri Narendra Modi because his speech has the potential of tearing apart the social fabric of India and impose a ban on his campaign as has been done earlier for violations of this nature.”
Jagdeep Chhokar, founder of the poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms, wrote separately to the Election Commission, saying: “Given the election is already underway, it is absolutely necessary that the action be taken without any loss of time.”
Around 100 eminent people from the Northeast too wrote to the poll panel seeking action against Modi.
One of them, Guwahati-based Paresh Malakar, told The Telegraph: “We have sent a petition to the ECI (Election Commission of India) seeking appropriate action against PM Modi for his divisive speech in Rajasthan yesterday. It is very unfortunate, unbecoming of a person holding the PM’s chair.”
Malakar is general secretary of the Axom Nagarik Samaj and coordinator of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, Assam. He addressed a citizens’ meeting on Monday in Nagaon along with Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan.
In its memorandum to the poll panel, the Congress said: “While we have objections to the entire tone and tenor of the Prime Minister’s speech, in this representation we wish to highlight the completely unprecedented and malicious allegations as well (as) statements which are clearly aimed at creating enmity between groups, far worse than any ever made by a sitting Prime Minister in the history of India. This cannot go unchecked, unanswered and unpunished.”
It added: “Coming from a person holding the high office of the Prime Minister of India, any voter would get influenced. Hence, the gravity of the offence is even more serious/ egregious given that it is the Prime Minister of India who is making these false and reckless statements.”
Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas B.V. sent copies of the Constitution to the Prime Minister.
CPM politburo member Brinda Karat and Delhi state secretariat member Pushpinder Grewal filed a complaint against Modi with Mandir Marg police station here.
A group of Delhi University students has called for a “condolence meeting” for the poll panel on the campus on Tuesday.
