The Hindu (Erode)

EPS says PM’s remarks on Muslims ‘unacceptab­le’; Jawahirull­ah writes to EC

-

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswam­i on Tuesday came out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech in Rajasthan concerning Muslims.

Pointing out that Mr. Modi had spoken in a “controvers­ial manner,” Mr. Palaniswam­i said that expressing such a controvers­ial opinion would not behove of the country’s sovereignt­y.

It would be in the interests of the nation and communal harmony that political leaders avoided articulati­ng objectiona­ble views that would otherwise cause apprehensi­on among Muslims. It was “unacceptab­le” to make a comment that would offend the sentiments of the community, he said.

Plea to EC

Meanwhile, Manithaney­a Makkal Katchi president M.H. Jawahirull­ah has written to the Chief Election

Commission­er, Rajiv Kumar, seeking disquali‚cation of Mr. Modi and a ban on his campaign in respect of the speech.

In a letter to the Election Commission (EC), Prof. Jawahirull­ah quoted Mr. Modi as saying, “The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get informatio­n about it, and distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom? Manmohan Singh’s government had said Muslims have the ‚rst right on the country’s assets. It will be distribute­d among those who have more children. It will be distribute­d to the in‚ltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the in‚ltrators? Do you approve of this?...”

According to Prof. Jawahirull­ah, “the vicious and insidious speech” calling Indian Muslims in‚ltrators, by accusing the Congress of planning to distribute wealth to Indian Muslims, and referring to Indian Muslims as “those with more children” amounted to egregious violation of the Constituti­on, the Representa­tion of People’s Act, 1951, and the Model Code of Conduct.

He further said that the “silence of the EC [on the issue] is deafening” and accused it of being complicit with the BJP.

It will be in the interest of the nation that leaders avoid articulati­ng objectiona­ble views that will otherwise cause apprehensi­on among Muslims

AIADMK general secretary

 ?? ??
 ?? ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India