'Smacks of ulterior motives': Congress on EC's notice to Kharge
What's the story
The Congress party has responded to the Election Commission's notice to its president, Mallikarjun Kharge, over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party said that the short notice given by the poll body "smacks of ulterior motives" and insisted there was no violation of the model code of conduct or any laws. In a "summary response" submitted on Thursday, Congress sought time to file a detailed reply within a week.
Notice controversy
Jairam Ramesh raises concerns over notice discrepancies
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising concerns over two notices with the same number but signed by different officials. He also pointed out that one notice mentioned a complaint from Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress, while another didn't. This discrepancy led Ramesh to question if the EC was issuing show cause notices without proper scrutiny and on the basis of ruling party complainants' versions without any application of mind.
Response request
Ramesh demands more time for response
Ramesh also criticized the short time given to Kharge to respond to the charges. He said this was insufficient considering Kharge's busy election schedule. The Congress leader alleged that it seemed like the Chief Election Commissioner was executing the notice as a formality instead of upholding natural justice. He demanded more time and said a senior delegation of Congress leaders would present their detailed response within a week.
Statement clarification
Kharge accused PM Modi of 'terrorising' political parties
Kharge had earlier accused PM Modi of "terrorizing" political parties by misusing government machinery and central agencies. He had called Modi a "terrorist" while criticizing the AIADMK's alliance with the BJP. However, he later clarified that he meant Modi was "terrorizing" the nation's democratic fabric. Ramesh said this clarification was publicly available and alleged that officials relied on a quote taken out of context without considering the full comment before issuing the notice.
Language objection
Ramesh highlights similar violations by PM Modi
Ramesh also objected to the language used by EC officials in threatening action without further reference. He highlighted two recent violations by PM Modi as examples of similar behavior. The first was PM Modi's address after the government failed to pass the 131st constitutional amendment, which Ramesh argued violated the Model Code of Conduct with attacks on Congress.