By IANS
New Delhi : The Election Commission (EC) censured Congress leader B.K. Hari Prasad and the president of the Gujarat unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Purshottam Rupala for violating the model code of conduct in the state.
The EC has also sent a notice to Minister of State for Railways Naran Rathwa for violating the code in operation for the Gujarat election Dec 11 and 16, the election commission officials said Friday.
The two leaders had earlier been given notices by the EC on Oct 24 following reports of violation of the code and they had been asked to reply by Oct 26.
The two leaders had reportedly used unparliamentary language during the poll campaign in Gujarat. The model code had come into force after the elections were announced Oct 10.
The code says that, “criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.”
At a public meeting on Oct 18 at Village Nanapondha in Valsad district Prasad had reportedly questioned the family lineage of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
He had said that while Indians see Congress President Sonia Gandhi as a reincarnation of Indira Gandhi, people outside Gujarat did not know which gutter was Modi born in.
Rupala, while speaking at a public rally on Oct 21 in Surat, had questioned the family lineage of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He had reportedly said, “Rahul-Rajiv, Rajiv-Feroz. Until there it’s okay, but then what after that? These Congressmen who abuse Narendra Modi, show us your roots. You are the descendants of Muslims from Junagadh.”
According to sources, “The EC found the replies submitted by the two leaders to the notices issued to them unsatisfactory and has hence censured them.”
Meanwhile, Rathwa has been issued a notice by the EC asking him to reply to the same by November. It has been brought to the notice of the Commission that during a visit to Vadodara Rathwa had moved in a private hired vehicle fitted with a red beacon light from airport to the circuit house. The vehicle had been hired by the railway authorities and the minister had used Railway Protection Force escort.