FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi for poll code violation

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday booked for alleged violation of model code of conduct by UP authorities which said that his road show had breached the time limit and the roadmap set by them.

District Magistrate Hari Om said that an FIR has been filed against Rahul and city Congress chief Mahesh Dikshit who have been booked under Section 188 of IPC for violating prohibitory orders (Section 144) imposed in the city and under Sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way) and 290 (public nuisance).

"The district administration had allocated time till noon and fixed a 20-km route for Rahul Gandhi's road show but Rahul Gandhi violated it and stretched it beyond permitted time. He also did not stick to the prescribed route for the event," the DM told PTI.

However, state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who was part of the roadshow, denied there was any violation of the model code of conduct and accused the district administration of trying to stop Rahul's mass contact programme at the behest of the Mayawati Government.

"The party has apprised the Election Commission about the action of the district administration," she said.

Kanpur MP and Union Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal dared the authorities to file an FIR against him. "I had invited Rahul Gandhi for the roadshow. Let the authorities file an FIR against me," he told reporters.

The DM claimed that the roadshow organisers had sought permission for a 38-km stretch but they had been informed last night about the conditions. The district administration had fixed a 20-km route for Rahul Gandhi's road show as today is Shivratri and there could be a traffic problem.

"Still they violated the rules and chose to follow the route for which permission had not been granted," he said, adding, "There could have been a security breach or a clash."

Joshi, however, countered that the detailed programme of the Congress general secretary, including the route, was handed over to the district administration by the district unit well in advance and was also cleared by the SPG.

"The administration, however, revised the programme last night and sent it to the SPG," she claimed.

She said that as the people had already been informed about the entire programme, it was not possible to carry out last minute changes.

"During the entire mass contact programme neither Rahul Gandhi addressed a meeting, nor did he take out any procession. Therefore, he has not violated the model conde of conduct," the state Congress president claimed.

She alleged that the Mayawati government was nervous and shaken after the success of Rahul's roadshow in Lucknow.

The roadshow began at the Circuit House this morning and crossed through all the five assembly segments here with people standing on both sides of the roads to greet the leader.

Rahul's roadshow was, however, shown black flags by youths belonging to some Muslim groups in Baghai area of the Cantonment. They were shouting slogans of 'Rahul, Go back'.

In Muslim-dominated Chunnigang area, people welcomed him by showering flowers while the Congress leader garlanded an Ambedkar statue in Bajaria area.

Kanpur will go to polls in the fifth phase of February 23.