Controversial remarks: EC issues notice against Amit Shah

Lucknow, April 7: The

on Monday issued a notice to the

's Uttar Pradesh in-charge

over controversial comments for prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

It asked the BJP leader to explain within three days as to why action should not be initiated against him for violating the model code through his speeches made while campaigning in Shamli, Bijnore and Muzaffarnagar districts in the state.

"The Commission is, prima facie, of the opinion that by making the aforesaid statement you have violated the.... provisions of Model Code of Conduct.... "Now, therefore, the Commission gives you an opportunity to explain your stand in making the above said statement before 5 PM on April 9, 2014 failing which the ECI shall take a decision without further reference to you," the EC notice said.

The notice referred to provisions of the model code that provide that 'no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic' and that parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of the parties.

On Sunday, two FIRs were registered against Shah in Shamli and Bijnore districts of UP.

50-year-old controversial BJP leader has been booked under Section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act.

Two FIRs were registered against Shah in Shamli and Bijnore districts of UP.

Chief Electoral Officer of UP had yesterday taken cognisance of Shah's statement and had sought the CD along with a detailed report from the district authorities.

Narendra Modi's close aide, Shah had sparked a row on Thursday with his comment that the "general election, especially in Muzaffarnagar is an election for honour. It is an election to take revenge for the insult. It an election to teach a lesson to those who have committed injustice."

BJP has condemned the filing of the FIRs in Bijnore and Muzaffarnagar districts, saying they were "not bonafide" and that it was a "calculated design" to communalise and polarise the election scenario in UP.

Congress has condemned Shah's remark and rejected BJP's defence of it as "flagrant crude defence and justification of communalism".

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)