Caravan News
NEW DELHI – Pointing to the violation of Election codes by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, All India Peoples’ Forum, a group of marginalized sections, has made an appeal to the Election Commission to closely monitor and scrutinize their election campaign.
“Mr. Modi’s election campaign deserves the Election Commission’s close monitoring and scrutiny. We are deeply disturbed at his direct rousing of the Hindu population of the country, the majority population, and his barned references to minority communities,” said the Forum in their press statement.
The forum felt that Modi and Yogi have violated the Model Code of Conduct in their speeches by invoking religion and politicizing the Army.
Expressing the grave concern over the violation of the Election Code, the forum said, “We are, therefore, deeply disturbed at the abuse and violation of the Election Code by a Constitutional Authority, the Governor of a State of the Union, and by the Prime Minister of the country as also the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, among others, right in the beginning of a long-drawn campaign calendar”.
The forum also quoted the ruling of the Supreme Court which prohibits the seeking of votes in the name of religion, caste or community. In January 2017, a seven-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by then Chief Justice T S Thankur held “Seeking votes in the name of religion, caste or community amounted to corrupt practice and election of a candidate who indulged in it can be set aside”.
Then, the forum listed out the instances of violations of the Election Code. In UP during a campaign, Modi made a statement which reflects that he alone represents the Hindus.
“In UP in a campaign he spoke a sentence which has since then become his template and has been used often by the BJP’s other campaigners. According to the Media, Mr. Modi makes it clear to the voters he alone represents the Hindus and can save them against terrorism and international enemies”.
They also pointed to the statement made by Modi in which he blamed the Congress for coining ‘Hindu terror’. They also complained about the politicization of the Army by the Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath. “Mr. Modi has systematically brought in the Indian Defence Forces into his campaign rhetoric,” adding that he also has “painted the Opposition leaders and the civil society as anti-national, anti-patriotic, and surrogates of Pakistan”.
Referring to the statement of Yogi calling the Indian army ‘Modi ki Sena’, the Forum noted “One of his major campaigners, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has gone byond the limit and reduced the brave Indian Army with a distinguished history and a proud heritage, to a feudal force commanded by Mr. Modi”.
Ex-Navy chief Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas also wrote to the Election Commission objecting to the statement ‘Modi ki Sena’ made by Yogi Adityanath.
Addressing a rally in Ghaziabad, Adityanath said, “Congress ke log aatankvadiyon ko biryani khilate the aur Modi ji ki sena aatankvadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai (Congress fed terrorists biryani while Modi’s army feeds them bullets and bombs).”
Pointing to the objectionable statements made by Modi and Yogi, the forum said “This is the most dangerous trend and does not augur well for the security of the country. We, therefore, urge the Election Commission to examine each of these speeches quoted here, and others, and to take the strictest action under the law of the land”.
The press statement was jointly issued by the forum’s activists – Vijay Pratap, Ambrish Rai, Prem Singh, Kiran Shaheen, John Dayal, Vidya Bhushan Rawat, Manoj Singh.
