Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi, has been booked for promising free laptops, colour TV sets and dhoti-sari to voters at a public meeting in Bhabua on Monday.
“An FIR has been lodged against him with the Bhabua town police station for inducing voters,” Harpreet Kaur, Superintendent of Bhabua district police, told journalists.
Police officials said the case was filed under Sections 171 E and 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the basis of a video footage of the meeting.
He had allegedly made these promises on Monday while campaigning for BJP candidate Anand Bhusan Pandey.
‘Did nothing wrong’
Talking to journalists in Patna on Tuesday, Mr. Modi said he stood by his speech. “In a democracy, it is our right to say what we’ll do for the people after coming to power…every party does this and there is nothing wrong in it…let them file the case.” He contested the registration of the case and urged the Election Commission to look into it.
Mr. Modi also repeated what he had said in Bhabua. “I had said that laptops would be given to 50,000 boys and girls if our government is formed in Bihar, along with colour TVs and dhoti-sari. It was meant to spell out the vision of our party for the people of the State,” he said.
However, the rival JD(U) and RJD leaders demanded action against Mr. Modi for “inducing voters” during election time. “The Election Commission should also look into it and take appropriate action,” JD(U) leader and spokesperson Ajay Alok said.
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