The Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued a notice to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over his “terrorist” remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The action came hours after a delegation comprising Union Ministers – Nirmala Sitharaman, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal – and other BJP leaders met the full bench of the Election Commission and complained about Kharge’s “terrorist” comment against PM Modi.
Calling the remark a potential violation of election norms, the poll body sought his response within 24 hours.
Kharge, at a press conference on Tuesday, called PM Modi a “terrorist”. He was questioning the AIADMK’s decision to partner with the BJP despite its adherence to the ideology of late CN Annadurai, a legendary politician in Tamil Nadu.
“How can these AIADMK people, who themselves put the photo of Annadurai, how can they join Modi? He is a terrorist. His party won’t believe in equality and justice. These people are joining with them; it means they are weakening democracy, they are weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar, Kaliagnar, Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” Kharge said.
When a reporter asked him for context as to his allegation, the Congress chief clarified that he meant Modi was “terrorising people and political parties”.
He later denied having called the Prime Minister a terrorist.
“I did not speak against the Prime Minister. The PM is terrorising politicians, candidates and regarding this, I said that tax terrorism is happening, the Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids, the Income Tax Department is conducting raids, the CBI is conducting raids…this terrorism is being facilitated by PM Modi. I did not call him a terrorist…he is scaring people. He is trying to silence people through raids and attempting to defeat them in elections. This is what I said in Chennai,” he said on Tuesday.
Mallikarjun Kharge at a press conference
Photo Credit: IANS
The remark drew an angry reaction from the ruling BJP, which called the Congress “an Urban Naxal Party”.
Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said today that his proximity to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has “corrupted” Kharge’s language.
“The Narendra Modi who eradicated terrorism is being called a terrorist by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Staying around Rahul Baba has started to corrupt Kharge ji’s language too,” he said, addressing an election rally in Bengal’s Dum Dum.
Earlier today, the BJP delegation demanded immediate and strict action against Mallikarjun Kharge from the poll body, alleging he breached election norms.
After the meeting, BJP politician Kiren Rijiju described the remark as “shocking” and “unprecedented” in Indian politics.
“We have full faith in the Election Commission. We expect appropriate and strong action. Such language lowers the dignity of democratic discourse,” Rijiju, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said.