CPI(M) Writes to EC Demanding Action Against PM’s Hate Speeches
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Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has addressed a letter to Rajiv Kumar, chief election commissioner, Election Commission of India on April 22, seeking initiation of action against Narendra Modi for his hate speeches. Below we publish the text of the letter.
ENCLOSED please find clippings from The Hindu, Indian Express and the Times of India – all from the front pages of their Delhi editions of April 22, 2024. (The clippings have not been reproduced here – Ed.)
All these reports contain portions of the highly inflammatory speech pregnant with several innuendoes made while campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by the campaigner in chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi.
While addressing a public meeting in Banswara, Rajasthan, on April 21, the prime minister alluding to Muslims reportedly also said that “should your hard-earned money be given to those with more children, infiltrators?”. Apart from these three newspapers, the speech has been widely reported in mainstream media and social media outlets.
Targeting of any particular community, the ECI will concur, stands in total violation of Section 123 (3) of the Representation of People’s Act and the Model Code of Conduct. Apart from the MCC and the RP Act, the ECI has from time to time been sending out advisories to political parties on plummeting levels of public discourse, fake news, against invoking religion, hate etc. The latest was its circular of March 1, 2024.
Earlier too the CPI(M) had brought before the Commission such blatant violations that totally disregard the ECI’s directive. The last such complaint was made on April 13, 2024 wherein we had cited various instances where the BJP’s star campaigner, Narendra Modi had invoked religion, made references to the consecration of the temple at Ayodhya and levelled serious allegations against opposition parties and labelled them as ‘being against Ram’ etc. Sadly, we are yet to receive any intimation from the ECI of its response to this complaint.
This is as brazen as it could get in indulgence in hate speech directed against a community. We have earlier precedents of banning leaders for such hate speeches.
We would urge upon the ECI to take cognizance of this latest complaint also and immediately launch proceedings against Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. An FIR also needs to be lodged against him for inciting communal passions and hatred. Immediate action is called for to stop public debates and discussions from plummeting further.
Any failure on the part of the ECI to take suitable action will further undermine its credibility as an autonomous institution and lead to further vitiation of the environment for a free and fair poll.
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