New Delhi: BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday wanted one-week time to respond to the notice by the Election Commission over his “khooni panja” (bloodied paw) remark at a rally in Chhattisgarh. The BJP said the party could not discuss the issue as Modi was busy in poll campaigns.
On Wednesday, the EC, on the basis of a complaint by the Congress, had issued the notice to Modi and asked him to explain by 5 pm of November 16 why action should not be initiated against him for alleged violation of the model code of conduct. At a rally in Dongargarh last week, Modi sparked a row when he made “khooni panja” and “jalim haath” (cruel hand) remarks to describe the Congress symbol.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, maintained there was no violation of the election code of conduct. The Congress complained to the Election Commission that Modi’s comment was “intemperate, malicious and defamatory. The use of the expression ‘khooni panja’ is extremely significant and deplorable and has an effect of terrorising the public at large against the Congress,” the Congress had said in its petition.
The poll panel, in its notice, had said that “prima facie it has been observed that by making the aforesaid statements, you have violated the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct. It said if no reply is received by November 16, then it will take appropriate action. A copy of the CD of Modi’s speech of November 07 in Dongargarh Rajnandgaon of Chhattisgarh was obtained by the commission.
Bureau Report
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