EC issues notice to Yogi Adityanath after Uttar Pradesh CM calls SP leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq 'Babar ki aulad'

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Thursday issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh  chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his “Babar ki aulad” comment made during a rally in Sambhal on 19 April. The electoral body has asked Adityanath to file his reply within 24 hours. [caption id=“attachment_5972761” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. ANI[/caption] “The Commission, after considering the available material and extant instructions on the matter, has decided to provide you an opportunity to explain your stand regarding the said statement,” EC stated. Adityanath had on 19 April called Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Shafiqur Rahman Barq “Babar ki aulad” (successor of Babar). “On the one hand, there is a candidate from a party which developed places linked to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gautam Budhha. On the other hand, there is an Opposition candidate who calls himself a Babar ki aulad’,” Yogi said at an election rally. He said, “Once I was in Parliament, I asked the SP candidate, who was also an MP, as to who were his predecessors, he said he was the successor of Babar. I was surprised.” His comments came days after the EC had barred him from campaigning for 72 hours for allegedly making comments amounting to the violation of the model code of conduct. This was Yogi’s first rally after the ban.