In a petition to the Election Commission on Wednesday, the BJP said the Congress had actively endorsed all “inflammatory” speeches of its vice-president Rahul Gandhi by publishing them on its official website and social web pages. “Therefore, it has further violated the Model Code of Conduct and, therefore, is also liable to be proceeded against under Para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 and its recognition as a National Party is liable to be withdrawn immediately.”
The BJP accused Mr. Gandhi of making “false and baseless allegations” against it and making “utterances, which can create hatred against it in the minds of people.” It cited his speech at Khaisa in Chhattisgarh on November 16.
The BJP charged Mr. Gandhi with casting aspersions on the BJP on the killing of the former Chhattisgarh Congress chief, Nand Kumar Patel. Mr. Gandhi’s speech was made in the same constituency from where Patel’s son is contesting the polls. “A bare reading of the statements makes it clear that they were aimed at putting a false and baseless notion in the minds of people that the BJP is responsible for the killing of Nand Kumar Patel, who was in fact killed by Naxalites in an attack on his convoy on May 25,” it said.
The BJP also took exception to Mr. Gandhi's statement describing the BJP and its members as “ chor ” (thieves), calling it “disgraceful, condemnable, baseless and in utter violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as established democratic practices.”
The BJP also petitioned the Commission against the Congress for “violating the code of conduct by publishing objectionable advertisements” in Madhya Pradesh, which shows a silhouetted photograph of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with a printed phrase, ‘Prof. Feku.’
