Modi attributes cancellation of Varanasi rally to ‘match-fixing’ by Gandhis
The BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday launched an all-out attack against the Election Commission for its “partiality”. The BJP accused the poll watchdog of being “biased” for its refusal of permission to Modi’s events and staged protests in Varanasi and Delhi while Modi attributed the cancellation of his rally in the temple town to “match-fixing” by the “mother-son Government”, an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul.
He also reiterated his charge that the Election Commission (EC) was not discharging its responsibilities well as polling in the last three phases of lok Sabha elections in UP, Bihar and West Bengal had not been fair.
The BJP expressed “disappointment” over the EC’s stand to go by the Varanasi administration’s decision. Jaitley said: “The BJP does not accept the reasoning of the Returning Officer endorsed by the Election Commission that a rally by Modi at Beniabagh, Varanasi, would have security repercussions. It is dangerous to rely exclusively on the “professional” advice of those who may render unprofessional advice.”
This prompted the Congress and the JD(U) to condemn the EC’s criticism. They termed it as “outrageous and unjustified” and an indication of the BJP’s “desperation” to grab hold of power at the Centre. Union Ministers P Chidam-baram and Salman Khurshid, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal also hit out at the BJP and Modi on their Varanasi stance.
Modi started off the day with tweets wherein he offered “apologies” to “Ganga maa” for not offering aarti — the BJP had turned down the EC’s go-ahead to the puja — and later in rallies at Azamgarh and Rohaniya, about 12 kilometres away from Varanasi, he lashed out at the poll panel. At Azamgarh, he said: “I want to tell the Election Commission that I had warned you on April 24 that you are not discharging your responsibility well.
Polling should be free and fair but in the last three phases it did not happen”. At Rohaniya, before embarking on his roadshow, Modi said even if there were security risks for him in rallies in Varanasi, then “can’t this mother-son Government at the Centre give security to one person”IJ
He also took a swipe at the local administration and election authorities, saying the talk of security risks can’t be believed as there appeared no such risks in Rohaniya which is just 12 kms away. He further pointed out “Union Home and Finance Ministers have themselves said that there was no security threat to Modi”.
For its part, the BJP staged a massive protest - led by senior leaders Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah and Ananth Kumar - outside the Banaras Hindu University against the EC’s refusal of permission for Modi’s rally and to demand the Returning Officer’s (RO) removal.
Jaitley alleged that by condoning the RO’s stand on ‘No-Modi rally’ in Varanasi city, the EC has used the security card to prevent the BJP’s PM candidate’s right to campaign in his constituency. “If you can’t ensure security, don’t hold polls in the country. But if you do hold polls please provide a level playing field. The security card is selectively used,” he said adding “Rahul Gandhi can have a roadshow in Varanasi but Modi cannot have a rally”.
In Delhi, BJP workers led by leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad took out a protest march from Delhi BJP office to the headquarters of the EC. Delhi Police stopped them a short distance away while imposing prohibitory orders in the area. later, a delegation of six BJP leaders led by Naidu, met Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath and demanded the immediate transfer of Varanasi’s RO. They alleged “political bias” and “discrimination” against the BJP had lowered the prestige of the EC.
The Congress came out strongly against the BJP for its attack on the EC. “I have a feeling that the BJP is getting a bit desperate. That is why it is making these outrageous attacks on the EC. The EC has allowed them to carry out their other events, then why should they take umbrage because just one event was denied”, Congress leader and Finance Minister P Chidambaram said at the AICC headquarters. Union Minister Salman Khurshid termed the attack on the poll panel as “reprehensible and regrettable” and said the party does not respect institutions whose decisions have an adverse impact on it.
The JD(U) also hit out at the BJP and Modi, with its president Sharad Yadav saying it would be difficult for the country to function if institutions like EC are made a poll issue for political gains. While UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav alleged “Modi’s Ganga aarti programme in Varanasi is not a religious one but purely political”, BSP chief Mayawati said the BJP’s protests in Varanasi is a “new drama” and it was being done by the BJP and SP in connivance to influence the elections on the remaining seats in the State.
While AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal challenged Modi to an open debate before the public of Varanasi and alleged that Modi was trying to draw “political mileage” in garb of the ‘Ganga aarti’ prayers, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said: “Don’t try and whip up communal frenzy hoping it will give you electoral gains in the last phase of the election.” He said that the BJP must raise its differences in a dialogue with the EC.
Kicking up a storm
Modi started off the day with tweets wherein he offered “apologies” to “Ganga maa” for not offering aarti — the BJP had turned down the EC’s go-ahead to the puja — and later in rallies at Azamgarh and Rohaniya, about 12 kilometres away from Varanasi, he lashed out at the poll panel
Modi also took a swipe at the local administration and election authorities, saying the talk of security risks can’t be believed as there appeared no such risks in Rohaniya which is just 12 kms away. He further pointed out “Union Home and Finance Ministers have themselves said that there was no security threat to Modi”
For its part, the BJP staged a massive protest — led by senior leaders Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah and Ananth Kumar — outside the Banaras Hindu University against the EC’s refusal of permission for Modi’s rally and to demand the Returning Officer’s removal
In Delhi, BJP workers led by leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad took out a protest march from Delhi BJP office to the headquarters of the EC
“I have a feeling that the BJP is getting a bit desperate. That is why it is making these outrageous attacks on the EC. The EC has allowed them to carry out their other events, then why should they take umbrage because just one event was denied,” Congress leader and Finance Minister P Chidambaram said