The Congress is up in arms against the Election Commission of India, accusing it of behaving like a “captive puppet” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, and turning a blind eye to the “flagrant violations” of the Model Code of Conduct by the ruling dispensation in the assembly elections in Gujarat.
“With the collusion of the Election Commission and the local administration, Modiji undertook a roadshow in Gujarat after casting his vote. He is openly violating the Model Code of Conduct and the Constitution, and the Election Commission is blind to the violations,” said Randeep Surjewala, AICC Communications Department head.
The Congress levelled accusations specifically at the Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti, charging him with working as per the directions of Modi. Surjewala pointed out that Joti has been principal secretary to Modi when the latter was the chief minister of Gujarat, and was also chief secretary of the state. “He has worked as Modi's PS. But even after assuming a Constitutional position, he is being subservient to Modi. And that is shameful,” he said.
“The Election Commission is behaving like a captive puppet of Modi. It has become a frontal organisation of the BJP,” Surjewala said.
Congress workers also gheraoed the EC office in Delhi in a 'flash protest' against the poll body's alleged partisan demeanour in conduct of elections in Gujarat.
Accusing the EC of adopting double standards, Ashok Gehlot, who is AICC General Secretary in charge of Gujarat, said while the commission was prompt in issuing a notice to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi with regard to his interviews to TV channels on Wednesday, it was yet to take any action on the Congress' representation against Modi's speech at a FICCI event, which also happened on the eve of polls.
“Modiji has today, on the day of polling in Gujarat, launched a Navy submarine in Mumbai and given a speech. As per rules, he could not have done it till elections were on,” Gehlot said.
He said it was clear that the Commission was working under the pressure of the Modi dispensation when it did not declare the dates of elections in Gujarat together with Himachal Pradesh. “The Commission gave the BJP ample time to make all kinds of populist announcements in Gujarat before announcing the poll dates,” he said.
The Congress also claimed that on Wednesday, the Commission kept the party waiting for an appointment to make its representation regarding alleged violation of the MCC by Modi and other BJP leaders. “It was only after we threatened to sit on a dharna outside the Election Commission that they agreed to hear us,” Surjewala said.
