The BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi moved EC against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for holding a meeting with the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid in a bid to polarise Muslim votes. The Election Commission had earlier said that it would take cognisance if it received a complaint in this regard.
The BJP complained that Sonia Gandhi’s request to Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam to ensure that the community’s votes did not get split was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and demanded stern action.
The BJP also alleged that such a meeting was aimed at polarising elections and could lead to a communal flare-up.
“We are confident that the EC will take serious note of these developments and initiate preventive steps so that their efforts, as always, to conduct free and fair elections are not frustrated by determined spoilers who are aiming at a communal conflagration,” BJP said in a memorandum to the EC.
BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and convener of election cell R Ramakrishna said as per para 1 of the MCC, “There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forums for election propaganda.”
The CEC had earlier said that the EC will take cognisance of any complaint in this regard, but it had not got a complaint.
“We generally, in such matters (Sonia’s meeting with Shahi Imam), will take cognisance on the receipt of a complaint. We are awaiting that. As soon as it is received, we will definitely
examine and further action would be taken.” Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath told reporters in Jammu. The BJP, on its part, sought the EC’s suo motu intervention as the remarks were in public domain. The BJP also dubbed the Congress a “pseudo secularist” and accused it of playing communal politics.
In New Delhi, the Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari’s younger brother Syed Yahya Bukhari also criticized Jama Masjid’s religious head and branded the Congress as the most communal party.
“Muslims say that the BJP is a communal party. Yes it is. But when the BJP attacks, it attacks from the front and Muslims save themselves but the Congress always backstabs the minorities. Check the record of the last 30-35 years, whether it was Bhagalpur, Meerut, Moradabad or Surat. All this happened during the Congress’ tenure and it is happening even today. Innocent Muslims are being sent to jail. Whenever elections come, the Congress tries to become clean and shows bonhomie toward Muslims and seeks their support. But why should I support the CongressIJ” Syed Yahya Bukhari said.
Earlier, addressing a rally at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Modi accused Sonia of resorting to “rabid communalism” by appealing to Muslim leaders for securing the community’s vote in favour of her party.
“The Congress is sensing defeat. So now, their slogan has shifted from secularism to rabid communalism,” Modi said and appealed to the EC to take action.
“24 hours have passed and the news has already appeared in the media. Why is the EC not taking suo motu action in this regardIJ” he asked. Sonia has, however, rejected the BJP’s accusations.