Jaitley says Model Code of Conduct cannot encroach right to free speech; Oppn parties say remarks slanderous
Training their guns at the Congress and other opposition parties, several BJP leaders on Tuesday claimed that they have started finding faults in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to late PM Rajiv Gandhi and nitpicking over Supreme Court dismissal of review petition because defeat is staring them in the face.
Leading the attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “Of late, a tendency has developed amongst the political parties to excessively allege violation of the MCC by their opponents. The Congress Party as the 'Cry Baby' of this election is leading the pack.” To further his argument, Jaitley went on to insist that “The MCC and the right to free speech (in Article 19. 1) have to co-exist and the MCC cannot encroach the right to free speech.
His retort came within hours of Congress' Sushmita Dev moving the apex court on PM Modi's “slanderous” jibe of “Bhrashtachari No. 1” on Rajiv Gandhi by filing an affidavit in the ongoing case against Election Commission for giving “arbitrary and opaque” clean chits to PM Modi and Amit Shah for model code violations.
Prime Minister Modi referring to Rahul Gandhi had said, “Your father may have been declared Mr. Clean by his courtiers. But he died as “Bhrashtachari No.1”. This arrogance will destroy you. This country forgives mistakes but never betrayal.” He continued his tirade against Rajiv Gandhi challenging Congress to fight the remaining two phases on his name.
Later, Congress president Rahul Gandhi responded saying “Modi Ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you. All my love and a huge hug.”
The Congress also found leaders of most Opposition parties and people from the civil society on its side as they condemned PM Modi's attack on late Rajiv Gandhi as slanderous and repulsive and against the ethos of Indian culture that does not permit defaming a dead person.
BJP president Amit Shah, however, defended Modi saying there was nothing wrong with Bhrashtachari comment as Bofors had happened.
Many former BJP leaders, including former BJP chief minister of BJP and a union cabinet minister in Vajpayee's government, Shanta Kumar and Ajay Aggarwal, who fought against Sonia Gandhi in 2014, described statements against Rajiv Gandhi as a new low in Indian politics.
BJP PACKS STAR-POWER IN DELHI
- BJP’s campaign for the seven Lok Sabha seat in Delhi got star power on Tuesday with Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty and Bhojpuri singer Khesari Lal canvassing for the party candidates in different parts of the national capital.
- Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, campaigning for Gambhir in East Delhi, took a jibe at his Delhi counterpart Kejriwal, asking whether the AAP supremo was the head of the city administration or a leader of dharnas.
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 "Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath campaigns for BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir in Delhi Tuesday")
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