Election Commission issues notice to Narendra Modi for 'khooni panja' remarks

New Delhi: Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, has been served a notice by the Election Commission for his comment against rival Congress during a rally in Chhattisgarh last week, where he referred to a "khooni panja" or bloody hand.

The Congress' election symbol is the hand; the party had complained to the Election Commission.

"Yadi aap chahte hain ki Chhattisgarh ke upar kisi khooni panje ka saya na pade to aap sabhi kamal mein button dabana aur. Chhattisgarh ko khooni panje se bachana (If you want to save Chhattisgarh from the bloody hand, vote for the lotus), Mr Modi, who is also the Gujarat Chief Minister, had told the crowd at his rally in Dongargarh on Thursday.

The lotus is the election symbol of the BJP, which rules Chhattisgarh, where Assembly elections are being held in two phases this month.

The Election Commission has said that Mr Modi prime facie violated its moral code of conduct and has asked him to explain by Saturday, November 16, why action should not be taken against him. (Read full notice)

The BJP has said it sees nothing wrong in Mr Modi's speech. "In our understanding there has been no violation of code of conduct. The party will reply in detail to the Election Commission's notice," the party's Nirmala Sitaraman said.

In its complaint, the Congress has accused Mr Modi of making "intemperate, malicious and defamatory" remarks. "The use of the expression 'khooni panja' is extremely significant and deplorable and has an effect of terrorising the public at large against Congress," the party said, also handing a DVD of Mr Modi's speech to the commission.

Meanwhile, the Congress today moved the Election Commission over Mr Modi's remark that the CBI and the banner terror outfit Indian Mujahideen will be used to prevent the BJP from coming to power. (Read: CBI, Indian Mujahideen used as political tools, says Narendra Modi in Bahraich)

The Election Commission today also said that it is dissatisfied with the reply given by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to a similar notice earlier this month. It said it "takes exception to the tone, tenor and content" of sections of his recent speeches which accused the opposition BJP of inciting communal riots and advised him to be more circumspect. (Read more) | (Read poll panel's full order)

In his reply to the Commission's notice, Mr Gandhi denied that he had violated the conduct code and said he was entitled to promote his party's ideology and policies.