“The fight is now 80 versus 20,” said UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
NEW DELHI — Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday flagged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s speech stating ’80 per cent, 20 per cent’ and alleged that it was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Singh was reacting to a tweet by former Home Secretary Sanjeev Gupta, who in turn was reacting to Adityanath’s comment aired by a TV channel that “UP elections will be about ’80 per cent vs 20 per cent’” by tweeting how this is violation of the very first point mentioned in the MCC by Election Commission.
Elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly are to be held in seven phases and notification for the first phase is to be issued on January 14 for polling on February 10. It was, however, not clear in the clip aired by the TV channel as to where and in which context Adityanath was speaking.
Point 1 in the General Conduct for MCC for the guidance of political parties and candidates mentions: “No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.”
Alluding that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s remark tantamounts to aggravating existing differences or creates mutual hatred, Gupta also tweeted: “I’ve dealt with quite a few violations of MCC during my career but this one is appalling beyond words. I’m also shocked by equally weird responses.”
Reacting to Gupta’s tweet, Digvijaya Singh tweeted: “Wake up and show some Spine Hon Chairman and Members of Central Election Commission. Just watch what Yogi and their Ad campaign are projecting.
“Also please keep watch on Social Media sites of messages of Hatred and Violence.”
Yogi Adityanath while attending an event organised by a private news channel in state capital Lucknow was asked a question about Brahmin votes in UP.
“The contest has moved much ahead,” the saffron-robed Chief Minister replied. “The fight is now 80 versus 20.”
The numbers citied by the BJP’s Yogi Adityanath roughly correspond to the ratio of Hindus to Muslims in UP, where assembly elections will be held next month, writes NDTV. — IANS
— With media inputs
