Continuing with its tough stance against hate speeches and controversial statements, the Election Commission on Thursday asked for explanations from Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar and senior U.P. Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan by Saturday morning, failing which they will face action. The EC sought an explanation from Mr. Katiyar for a speech, he made at Sant Kabir Nagar in Uttar Pradesh on April 15, that the riots in Muzaffarnagar were bigger than the 2002 Gujarat riots.
He reportedly said “no attempt” was made by the U.P. government to check the riots. He alleged that Mr. Azam Khan was given a “free hand” to issue directions to administration officials.
The BJP leader said the riots would be probed once Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, and it would be “ensured” that Mr. Khan was sent to jail as he had “planned” the violence last year in western U.P.
Mr. Verma, at a rally in U.P., had reportedly said that once Rahul Gandhi became Prime Minister, Mr. Modi and his aide Amit Shah would be “jailed for life” for the Godhra riots.
