Congress moves Election Commission against PM Modi’s Muslim League remark

In their first memorandum, the party slammed Modi’s “disparaging” remarks against its manifesto, saying it was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The Congress on Monday moved the Election Commission (EC) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that its party manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections carries the imprint of the Muslim League, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its offensive and accused the opposition party of conspiring to create conflict, confrontation and division in the country.

In a memorandum to the poll body, a four-member Congress delegation comprising former Union minister Salman Khurshid, Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Wasnik, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera and party member Gurdeep Sappal also complained about the alleged use of armed forces by the BJP in its ads.

Both the memorandums were signed by Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and shared by Congress general secretary in-charge (communications) Jairam Ramesh on X.

In their first memorandum, the party slammed Modi’s “disparaging” remarks against its manifesto, saying it was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

“By propagating false, uninformed and vexatious claims, Shri Narendra Modi has attempted to evoke an emotional response from the electorate by using the horrors of Partition, in a bid to polarise voters,” the memorandum said.

It added that the remarks are “nothing out of the ordinary” but “concerted effort of arousing communal discord to secure a larger vote share”.

At an election rally in Rajasthan’s Ajmer on Saturday, Modi said the Congress manifesto bears a Muslim League imprint while a part of it is dominated by the Leftists. “You would have seen, the way Congress released its manifesto yesterday, it proved that today’s Congress is cut off from the aspirations and expectations of today’s India. The manifesto released by Congress reflects the same thinking that was prevalent in the Muslim League during the freedom struggle. The Congress manifesto completely bears the imprint of the Muslim League and the little remaining part, it is dominated by the Leftists. Congress is not visible in this,” he said.

The Congress, in their complaint to the poll body, said Modi’s remarks “may endanger the wellbeing of supporters of the INC; by making the public believe that the INC wishes to divide India”.

“Considering the gravity of the situation, this Hon’ble Commission cannot turn a blind eye to the comments made by Shri Narendra Modi,” it said.

The opposition party called for “stern and swift” action against Modi’s “conduct in raising communal tensions in the Indian society”.

Earlier in the day, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the party manifesto reflects the hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion people.

The developments came even as the BJP continued its attack on the Congress over its manifesto and alleged the opposition party has become a “proxy partner” in the “hidden agenda” of the Muslim League.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters: “The Congress has become a proxy partner in the hidden agenda of the Muslim League which is conspiring to create conflict, confrontation and division in the country.”

In its second memorandum to EC, the Congress complained against the “continuous use of defence forces in political advertisements by the BJP” despite the poll body’s repeated advisories on the matter.

It referred to a video clip posted by Union minister Smriti Irani on X on Sunday, featuring images of defence forces to highlight the achievements of the Modi-led BJP government.

“...there is no doubt that the same forms part of the election campaign of the BJP which is evidenced by way of the election symbol of the BJP that appears at the conclusion of the advertisement,” it said.

This “shows the utter disregard of the BJP party towards this Hon’ble Commission and its pursuit of conducting free and fair elections,” it added.

After meeting EC officials, Khera said: “Pictures of the prime minister wearing a military uniform are being misused during the election campaign. There is already an advisory of EC that this cannot be done during elections. We have urged EC to take action on this issue as the BJP is continuously committing such crimes.”