"Be More Careful": Election Body To Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks On PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Election Commission of India (ECI) asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to be more careful and cautious in his public utterances in the wake of his "panauti" (bad omen) and "pickpocket" jibes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PTI reported.

Acting on a Delhi High Court directive of December last year, the poll panel also asked Mr Gandhi to follow its recent advisory for star campaigners and political leaders in the right earnest during the election campaign.

In the advisory dated March 1, the Election Commission (ECI) had warned that parties, candidates and star campaigners will face stern action, rather than just 'moral censure' for any violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

It also said that the star campaigners and candidates who have received notices in the past will face stern action for repeat violations of the model code.

The ECI had issued a notice to Mr Gandhi last year after the Congress leader used terms like "panauti" and "pickpocket" for the prime minister.

The commission was also asked on December 21 by the Delhi High Court to decide on the notice it had issued to Mr Gandhi for these comments, saying the statement made by the Congress leader during a speech delivered in November 2023 was "not in good taste".

Disposing of the court directive, the EC has asked Mr Gandhi

"to be more careful and cautious in his public utterances in the future", PTI reported.

"After considering all facts in the matter related to remarks such as 'jebkatra' (pickpocket) and 'panauti', including the court order and Mr Gandhi's reply, the Election Commission has advised him to be more careful and cautious in future," PTI reported.

The commission has further directed Gandhi, as a star campaigner, to take into notice its March 1 advisory for all parties, star campaigners and candidates in right earnest while making public utterances.

The poll panel issued a notice to Mr Gandhi on November 23 seeking his stand on his speeches during his campaigns for the assembly elections in Rajasthan.

The former Congress president took the "pickpocket" dig at Modi during his poll speech, alleging that the prime minister diverts people's attention while industrialist Gautam Adani picks their pockets. This is how pickpockets operate, he had alleged.

The court order followed a petition that had also objected to certain other statements by Mr Gandhi referring to the prime minister as "panauti".