PM's remark against Muslims and Congress atrocious; silence of EC even more so: CPM
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inflammatory swipe at Congress during a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday is snowballing into an election issue.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) now wants the Supreme Court and Election Commission of India (ECI) to take the 'strictest action' against him.
At the Banswara rally, the Prime Minister had accused the Congress of planning to redistribute people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children".
According to CPM sources, an online petition campaign has been begun by 'concerned citizens of India' requesting the election body to initiate action against Modi's remark, which they believe is in violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).
Questioning the silence of the Commission, Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of CPM on Monday said the PM's remark is atrocious.
"This is atrocious! The silence of the Election Commission is more atrocious! Modi’s inflammatory speech is a gross violation of the Moral Code of Conduct and Supreme Court pronouncements on Hate Speech. Merits strictest action and contempt of court," he posted on the micro-blogging site ‘X’.
PM Modi had referenced a statement of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made in 2006 regarding the minority community’s first claim on Indian resources to underpin his claims.
Modi had said,"Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children".
“Hope the Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of this incendiary speech and issues Modi a contempt of court notice followed by strictest punishment," Yechury wrote on 'X'.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission declined to comment on the matter.
The online petition states that the speech by the PM distorts the facts which are already available in the public domain posing a serious challenge to all the initiatives taken by the Election Commission to prevent fake news and fact check all forms of communication.
“By targeting Muslims using a pejorative language to seek votes, it seriously undermines India’s stature as the 'Mother of Democracy' in the world. Further, approval of such hateful language that may alienate certain communities is at odds with egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution of India and will only bring disrepute to India’s position as a "Vishwa Guru" or World Leader in the comity of nations," the petition also read.
The Election Commission's failure to take any action against such hate speech will only undermine its credibility and autonomy that has been safeguarded and upheld by a series of exemplary officers before you, it also stated.
Congress to approach Election Commission
It was not just the Communists and concerned citizens, Congress leader KC Venugopal too on Monday accused PM Modi spreading lies and attempting to create communal polarization in the country. He said the Congress will approach the EC against what the 'hate speech'.
"Modi's hate speech reveals his fear of the current election. He knows that the election tide is turning in favor of the INDI alliance after the first polling phase," Venugopal said in Kerala.
(With inputs from the New Indian Express' Kerala team)