On Thursday the Congress alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct in Gujarat by conducting a roadshow after casting his vote in Sabarmati. Taking to Twitter, party leader P Chidambaram claimed the Prime Minister conducted a “full fledged campaign” on the day of polling, and condemned the Election Commission for “sleeping on the job.”
“Allowing a roadshow of PM on voting day is a gross violation of code of conduct. It is an election campaign. What is the EC doing?” Chidambaram tweeted. “The images on TV will leave no one in doubt that the BJP and PM have conducted a full fledged campaign on polling day. Shocking violation of Rules. EC is sleeping on the job.”
The former finance minister also appealed to the media to “search its conscience” and stand up to the “unprecedented” violation. “Let the media look at the images on the TV screens, search its conscience and reach a conclusion. There has not been a more blatant violation of the code of conduct on polling day,” Chidambaram said. “Stand up Media to this unprecedented violation of the code of conduct. Condemn the EC for allowing this gross abuse,” he added.
Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the EC has “abdicated its constitutional responsibility.” Addressing a press conference, Surjewala said, “A desperate Prime Minister facing defeat in Gujarat holds a Road Show with BJP flags, Flagrantly Flouts the Constitution and Code of Conduct. A Puppet Election Commission looks on with complicity denigrating its role of an independent Arbiter.”
“EC’s conspiratorial silence and absolute inaction reflects as to how one more independent institution in our polity has become a puppet at the whims and fancy of Bhartiya Janata Party. The double standard of Election Commission can be gauged by the fact that while it registers an FIR against news channels and news papers for holding an interview of Congress President, Shri Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi; it gives a free licence to BJP and Shri Narendra Modi to violate the law, the Constitution and Code of Conduct as it meekly surrenders itself and prostrates before the Prime Minister and the ruling party.”
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