The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a show cause notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, responding to a complaint lodged by the BJP over derogatory remarks made by Gandhi about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally. In the complaint dated November 22, the BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of using offensive language, referring to PM Modi as “Jaibkatra” (Pickpocket) and “Pannauti” in a public meeting at Bayatu, District Barmer, Rajasthan.
The ECI’s letter to Rahul Gandhi stated, “It is alleged that comparing a PM to a ‘Jaibkatra’ and using the word ‘Pannauti’ is unbecoming of a very senior leader of a National Political Party.” The complaint also raised concerns about the allegation of grant waivers totaling Rs. 14,00,000 crores for the past 9 years, asserting that these claims were not substantiated by facts. The BJP asserted that these remarks violated various sections of the Representation of the People Act, Indian Penal Code, and the Model Code of Conduct.
In response to the complaint, the ECI has asked Rahul Gandhi to explain why no action should be taken against him in the matter, and the deadline for his response is set for November 25. The ECI letter mentioned, “If no reply is received by then, action deemed fit will be taken by the Commission.”
Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks were made during a rally in Barmer, where he claimed that Prime Minister Modi’s presence in the Narendra Modi stadium was the reason behind India’s World Cup final loss. He stated, “Our guys were playing well; they would have won the World Cup. But ‘Panauti’ made us lose.”
The BJP’s complaint urged the ECI to take appropriate action against Rahul Gandhi, expressing concern that such language would spoil the electoral environment by introducing offensive and defamatory remarks into the discourse.
