Sohrabuddin comment: EC issues notice to Modi

The Election Commission has issued a notice to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi about his comments justifying the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh during an election rally on November 4.

The EC has sought a response from Modi by December 8, said sources.

The election body's notice came following the complaint filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad through her non-governmental organisation Citizens for Peace and Justice.

 

Modi had, in an election speech in Mangrol on Tuesday, justified the killing of  Sohrabuddin, saying he hoarded illegal weapons.

 

The notice stated, "The Commission has considered the various inputs and the complaint, and has viewed the video recording of the said speech referred to above. The Commission, prima facie, is of the view that the references to Late Shri Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism, made in the speech, amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between different communities, and would involve violation of the provision of clause (1) and (3) of Item I of the Model Code of Conduct "

 

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, senior vice president of the Bharatiya Janata party, has said that the party will reply to the notice issued by the Election Commission to Modi by 11

am on Saturday.

"There is no problem. We shall deal with it," Naqvi told rediff.com in a telephonic conversation from Himachal Pradesh.

Prakash Javedkar, BJP's spokesman, said that the EC should also take cognisance of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Digvijay Singh and Abhishek Singvi's comments. "Gandhi had referred to the state government as the merchant of death, Digvijay Singh called Narendra bhai a terrorist and Abhishek Singvi had advocated action against Modi," he said.

"We are not sure by what time we would reply to the EC but it would be done before the stipulated time," Javedkar added.