By IANS,
Kanpur/New Delhi : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi violated the model code of conduct during a road show in this Uttar Pradesh city and action will be taken against the organisers, officials said Monday. The party however, denied that he violated the poll code.
Kanpur District Magistrate Hari Om said Gandhi did not follow the route proposed by the district administration for his road show but took an alternative route.
“We have proposed an alternate route for Rahul Gandhi’s road show keeping in mind his security and heavy traffic due to the Mahashivratri festival Monday. But he did not follow the route proposed by us,” Hari Om told reporters in Kanpur.
He said that Gandhi also flouted prohibitory orders in the city that banned any assembly of more than four people at a spot.
The district magistrate said action would be taken against the organisers and those who participated in the road show.
Asked if action would be taken against Gandhi, Hari Om said: “We will take action against the organisers. We may consider action against those who participated. Definitely, we can consider it. Why can’t it be taken against Rahul Gandhi?”
In Delhi, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi denied that Gandhi violated the model code of conduct during his campaigning in Kanpur.
“There was neither a procession, nor a rally,” Singhvi said.
“It was only a ‘jan sampark (public contact)’ programme and there was absolutely neither the intention, or actual violation of any code of conduct or any other rule,” he said.