Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra has categorically rejected the Election Commission of India's directive that the party should apologise for making and releasing the controversial CD which could have sparked off major riots in Uttar Pradesh had it been allowed to be circulated, and thereby consolidating the Hindu votes in favour of the party in the just concluded state Assembly elections.
"There is no question for apologising for something that was not even produced by the party," Malhotra told newsmen after the Election Commission pasted its order on its official Web site on Tuesday afternoon.
"The respondent party should come out with unequvivocal and unambiguous condemnation of the controversial CD," the EC order said.
The commission directed the BJP to make a declaration on behalf of the party at the national level so that the stand taken by the party before the EC becomes known to the people of India as well.
The commission also clarified that it is not closing the issue with the order and the investigations into the matter would continue. Former prime minister of India V P Singh was the first to approach the commission with a written complaint.
Later, other parties also joined him.
The BJP defence was put up by noted advocate and party general secretary Arun Jaitley.
At a press conference, the EC refused to respond to questions on the CD controversy, particularly why it allowed the BJP to drag its feet, allow the party to go through the campaign and why the EC order came only hours before the polls ended in Uttar Pradesh.