In a significant development, the Election Commission issued show-cause notices on Tuesday to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for alleged unverified and disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The move follows a complaint filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that Priyanka Gandhi made “baseless and false” statements during an election rally in Madhya Pradesh, where she claimed that the Modi government had privatized public sector undertakings. The Election Commission has asked her to explain the statements by 8 pm on Thursday.
A similar notice has been issued to the AAP regarding alleged model code violations, responding to the BJP’s demand for action against the party for posting objectionable video clips and remarks targeting PM Modi on social media.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP’s national media in-charge Anil Baluni, and party leader Om Pathak formed a delegation that approached the Election Commission on November 10, condemning the AAP for their “unacceptable” and “unethical” content.
“The AAP has posted a video and two posts on X in which it has said very unacceptable, reprehensible, mischievous, and unethical things about the democratically elected head of the government,” stated Mr. Puri.
The Election Commission’s notice to the AAP reads, “The national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party is hereby called upon to explain the statements/allegations/averments, made in the alleged social media posts under reference, against a star campaigner of another national party and against the political party and by insinuation and innuendo against the candidates for the state elections.”
If there is no response within the stipulated time, the Election Commission will take appropriate action without further reference.
As the election season unfolds in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram, these notices underscore the heightened scrutiny of political statements in the run-up to the state elections.
Sources By Agencies