EC issues 72-hour gag order for Azam Khan, 48 hrs for Maneka Gandhi

New Delhi, Apr 15: The Election Commission of India on Monday barred Azam Khan of Samajwadi party and union minister Maneka Gandhi from campaigning for violating the Model Code of Conduct.

The move comes hours after the EC barred UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BSP Supremo from campaigning for a similar offence.

While Azam Khan has been barred for three days, Maneka Gandhi will face the censure for two days starting 10am on Tuesday.

Azam Khan has triggered a huge row over his "underwear" jibe at Jaya Prada who is fighting the Lok Sabha election 2019 from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur parliamentary constituency against him.

"I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear," Khan had said while addressing a campaign rally in Rampur.

In a video clip that is being shared widely on social media, Maneka Gandhi is seen telling Muslim voters in Sultanpur, that they should vote for her or else she may not be responsive to their requests.

"I am winning. I am winning because of the love and support of people. But if my victory is without Muslims, I won't feel that good. Dil khatta ho jayega. (heart will become hard) Then when a Muslim comes to me for work, I think let it be, how does it matter? It is all give and take, isn't it? We are not all children of Mahatma Gandhi, are we?"