The Asian Age

EC BANS BJP MP FOR TERROR REMARK

MP called Kejriwal ‘terrorist’ Repeated violation of model code of conduct: EC

- SHASHI BHUSHAN

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday imposed a 24hour campaign ban on BJP MP Parvesh Verma for his "terrorist" remark against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The ban on Verma, second in the last one week, came into force at 6 pm on Wednesday.

This means, he will not be able to campaign for the February 8 Delhi Assembly polls any further. Campaignin­g ends at 5 pm on Thursday.

A complaint by the AAP had alleged that Verma had cast “vitriolic aspersions” on the chief minister of Delhi.

BJP MP Parvesh Verma has been banned by the Election Commission from campaignin­g for Delhi Assembly elections for 24 hours from 6 pm on Wednesday. The ban means that the West Delhi MP will not campaign for party candidates for Delhi Assembly polls as campaignin­g will end at 6 pm on Thursday.

Mr Verma was banned for allegedly terming chief minister Arvind

Kejriwal as “terrorist”. Earlier on January 30, the EC had banned Union minister Anurag Thakur and Mr Verma from campaignin­g for Delhi Assembly elections for 72 and 96 hours respective­ly for making inflammato­ry speeches.

The EC orders barred Mr Verma from holding any public meetings, public procession­s, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) in connection with ongoing

Delhi Assembly polls for 24 hours starting from 6 pm on Wednesday (February 5).

The EC order said that the present offence is a repeat of violation of model code of conduct by Mr Verma. “The Commission is of the considered view that Mr Verma made vitriolic aspersions against Mr Kejriwal which violates the provisions of the model code of conduct,” said the order. In his defence to the show cause notice issued on January 30, Mr Verma denied the allegation leveled against him and said that the video did not reflect the correct picture.

Reacting to the ban, Mr

Verma told this newspaper that this ban is injustice to him. “The EC ban is wrong and injustice to me. Aam Aadmi Party and Mr Kejriwal are afraid of me and trying hard to stop me from campaignin­g,” Mr Verma added.

Earlier the EC banned Mr Verma for his comment that those who have mounted over a monthlong sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenshi­p Amendment Act (CAA) “will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters”.

 ??  ?? Parvesh Verma
Parvesh Verma

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