Gujarat Election Phase 2: Congress issues 4-point list of demands from EC against Narendra Modi, Amit Shah

The Congress on Wednesday petitioned the Election Commission for action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing an event organised by an industry body on the eve of the final phase of the Gujarat polls where he attacked the main opposition party.

The Congress’s complaint came soon after the EC issued a show cause notice to Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi for prima facie violating the model code by giving interviews to Gujarati TV channels, and asked him to reply by December 18, failing which it will decide the matter without any reference to him.

A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Ashok Gehlot, Anand Sharma and Randeep Surjewala handed over a memorandum to the poll body, demanding strong action against Modi and other BJP leaders for addressing press conferences and events on the eve of last phase of polling in Gujarat. “We are going to the Election Commission with a memorandum demanding action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal and others for violating the model code,” Anand Sharma told reporters before meeting the poll panel. He said the EC should remain non-partisan. Earlier in the day, Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress, saying that banks were pressured under its rule to give loans worth thousands of crore to select industrialists and termed it as the UPA government’s biggest scam. A day before his home state Gujarat goes to the final phase of polling, Modi attacked “economists” in the UPA for handing him a “liability” of non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans, while hard-selling his central government’s pro-poor schemes. Surjewala said the EC on Wednesday acted against news channels for airing the interview of Rahul Gandhi which was against the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

Congress delegation submitted a memorandum to ECI demanding immediate registration of FIR against BJP leaders in the context of them violating the model code of conduct.If FIR can be registered against news channels for telecasting Rahul ji's interview then why not against BJP? pic.twitter.com/AbOzlUU1R2

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

A Congress delegation led by Sh. Ashok Gehlot will be at ECI at 9.15.

If FIR against news channels for showing interview of Congress President,why no FIR against PM, FM, Union Minister & BJP President on this ground?

Are these not double standards?
Let there be accountability.

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

We, therefore, request the Election Commission:-

1.​Immediately withdraw the order, if any, directing registration of an FIR against news channels for telecasting the interview of Congress President.

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

2.​ Register an FIR against BJP for causing aspersions on the conduct and fairness of EC even before a decision was taken;

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

3.​ In case,yardsticks of violation of MCC is to be applied as is being done by EC, order registration of FIR against PM Shri Narendra Modi;Shri Amit Shah;Shri Arun Jaitley;Shri Piyush Goel;BJP State President,Shri Jeetu Baghani and other BJP leaders for flouting Code of Conduct

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

4. Further direct all members of print and electronic media to not carry any news item with regard to elections or live telecast any pictures of casting of votes of any political leader.

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017

In their demands presented before the poll panel, the Congress said that EC order against Rahul should be immediately withdrawn, and also withdraw “directing registration of an FIR against news channels for telecasting the interview of Congress President.” “In case, yardsticks of violation of Model Code of Conduct is to be applied as is being done by EC, order registration of FIR against Modi, Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, BJP Gujarat chief Jeetu Baghani and other BJP leaders” as they flouted the code of conduct. Congress also demanded that all members of print and electronic media should be advised not to carry any “news item with regard to elections or live telecast any pictures of casting of votes of any political leader.” The Congress memorandum said: “The Election Commission is duty bound to be fair and impartial. We have to regrettably state the apparent discrimination and an apparent advantage being given to the ruling party miltates against this notion.” It also requested the poll body to immediately withdraw its order directing registration of an FIR against news channels for telecasting the interview of Gandhi. “In case the yardstick of violation of model code of conduct is to be applied as is being done by EC order, register an FIR against prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union minister Pyush Goyal, BJP state president Jeetu Vaghani and other BJP leaders for flouting the model code of conduct,” the memorandum said. It also demanded that EC give directions to all print and electronic media outlets not to carry any news item with regard to elections and not to live telecast pictures of leaders casting votes. Surjewala alleged the EC order is an attempt to “suppress the media”, and claimed the BJP was exerting pressure on the poll panel for it. He said Modi had given interviews ahead of 2014 general elections but no case was registered then. “These double standards will not be allowed,” he said.

New norms for justice by ECI-:
1.FM-BJP leaders hold a PC in Ahd & release Manifesto on 8th Dec-
No FIR
2.Modiji does 4 public meetings in 9th Dec-No FIR
3.Amit Shahji does a PC at Ahemdabad today-No FIR
4. Piyush Gotalji does 2 PC’s today-No FIR.
Rahulji’s interview-FIR
Jai Ho!

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017