File photo: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal
The Election Commission on Friday censured Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading communal hatred in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The poll panel, which had issued notice to Mr Kejriwal on January 17 following a complaint by the BJP's Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay, said the AAP leader's comments violated the Model Code of Conduct, which is in force ahead of the election.
The Commission said that it "prima facie" found Mr Kejriwal guilty of violating the Model Code twice during his press conference on January 16. The former Delhi Chief Minister had levelled graft allegations against Mr Upadhyay, and had also accused the BJP of attempting to incite communal violence in Delhi.
During his January 16 press conference, Mr Kejriwal had accused Mr Upadhyay of being part of a company that supplies electricity meters to the power distribution company, BSES. The Delhi BJP president had responded with a defamation notice, and accused Mr Kejriwal of "running a factory of lies".
Mr Kejriwal had also accused the BJP of being behind attempts to incite communal violence in Delhi's Trilokpuri, Nandnagri, Nangloi and Bawana, and said the party was behind recent attacks on churches in Delhi.