EC gets tough, bans Shah, Khan UP rallies
Poll watchdog cracks whip as political discourse sinks
The Election Commission on Friday finally cracked the whip on Narendra Modi aide Amit Shah and SP leader Azam Khan for delivering hate speeches in their election campaigns recently, barring the duo from holding public meetings, processions or road shows in Uttar Pradesh.
The EC also asked authorities in UP to lodge FIRs against Shah and Azam, initiate criminal proceedings against them if not done yet and ensure they don’t resort to any act that “can affect public tranquillity”.
The action, seen by many as long overdue, came amidst the rising tendency among politicians to use personal attacks, hate-filled and threat-laden political speeches for polarising voters.
The poll watchdog had issued notices to Shah and Khan, asking them to explain their remarks exhorting Muslims and Hindus to use their votes as revenge for last year’s religious riots in Muzaffarnagar district.
The critics, however, saw the notices as insufficient actions against the blatant violations of model code of conduct by the two leaders.
The EC had sought an explanation from Khan only on Thursday, the day of polling in the troubled west UP. Though Shah had been given another day for clarifying his remarks, he remained unfazed and defended his speech.
Several former election offi- cials opined the commission was not using its powers effectively to contain the troubling trend.
Never before I have witnessed an election as bad as this one,” election commissioner HS Brahma said.
Almost half of the complaints received by the (EC) regarding violation of the model code of conduct are about hate speeches. According to Brahma, politicians were exploiting the limitations of the model code itself, as it has not been revised since 1997.
A former chief election commissioner (CEC), wishing anonymity, said the EC gives an impression that it was a toothless body as it has not used its powers effectively to rein in leaders.
“Never before have I have seen leaders dare to challenge the election commission and get away without any action,” he added.
The commission has powers to derecongnise a party and withdraw party symbols for violations, said former CEC N Gopalaswami.
Only on Friday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said Narendra Modi “might be making noises about women’s honour but it took him four elections to admit he was married”.
The BJP reacted promptly. Asking Congress to desist from such personal references, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad threatened to expose “well documented evidence” on the private lives of Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi.
The BJP prime ministerial nominee on Friday told an election rally that former Chattisgarh chief minister “might be privy to a secret about Gandhi family” because “though he has been losing (elections), it seems Madam Sonia can’t do without him”.
A few days ago, a UP Congress leader declared he would chop Modi to pieces, while another leader complained to the (EC) that an opponent had described him as “a dog’s relative”.