This Article is From Jan 28, 2015

Pulled up by Election Commission, Arvind Kejriwal Stays Away From Controversial Remarks

Pulled up by Election Commission, Arvind Kejriwal Stays Away From Controversial Remarks

File Photo: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

New Delhi: After a stern warning from the Election Commission on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal refrained from making controversial comments at his election rallies.

The Commission had directed Mr Kejriwal to "desist from making these utterances in all forms of election campaign... from today 7 PM onwards". Any further violation of its orders would invite "stern action", the EC said.

Prior to the warning, at two rallies held on Tuesday morning -- at Babarpur and Shahdara -- Mr Kejriwal had apparently justified his earlier remarks.
"What is bribery? It is taking money and then voting. However, I am forbidding voters to do so. I say, 'take money from them but don't vote for them. Rather give vote to us'," news agency Press Trust of India quoted him as saying.

Mr Kejriwal had also apparently repeated remarks that had invited the ire of the BJP and the Congress.

"It's election time. When people both from BJP and Congress come offering money, don't refuse, accept. Some have looted money from 2G, some have looted money from coal scam. Take money from both the parties but vote for AAP," PTI quoted him as saying.

On Tuesday, the Election Commission was responding to fresh complaints by the BJP and Congress, which had demanded the cancellation of Mr Kejriwal's nomination. Earlier, the two parties had complained to the Commission, saying Mr Kejriwal was violating the Model Code of Conduct.

The Election Commission took note of an undertaking by Mr Kejriwal that he respects the poll body and the law, and would stop making such appeals to voters if the Commission found his statements inappropriate.
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