Congress asks EC to act against hate speeches by Modi, Shah

The Congress has submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah of delivering 'hate speeches' and has sought action against the duo.

The Congress uploaded the memorandum, dated April 16, on its official Twitter handle. The Congress lauded the action of the Election Commission on Monday to bar from campaigning, for varying periods of time, four leaders. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP chief Mayawati, SP leader Azam Khan and Union minister Maneka Gandhi were barred for making communal and provocative statements.

The Congress memorandum described Modi and Shah as the “fountainhead from which all such (provocative) language flows and in turn authorises lesser party workers to disseminate communal messages with impunity”.

The Congress referred to speeches by Modi, including one in which he claimed the Congress had insulted Hindus “in front of the world” by raising the spectre of 'Hindu terror'. It also mentioned a speech by Modi in Nanded, Maharashtra, where he claimed the “Naamdaar” of the Congress (a reference to Rahul Gandhi) had chosen as a second seat a place (Wayanad, Kerala) where the “majority was in a minority”.

The Congress also provided excerpts of a speech by Shah in Nagpur where he referred to religion in Wayanad. “Rahul was contesting in such a place where it was impossible to say when a procession is taken out, whether it is a procession in India or Pakistan,” Shah had claimed.

The Congress claimed the “violations” by Modi and Shah “have in fact grown more brazen and audacious in their actions and comments”. The Congress called on the Election Commission to take immediate steps against Modi and Shah or “risk establishing a clear double standard”, given the action taken against Adityanath and the other leaders.