Modi attacks EC, takes out roadshow in Varanasi

 

Varanasi, May 8, 2014, PTI: Narendra Modi today launched an all-out war on the Election Commission accusing it of working "under pressure" and showing bias against him and took out a roadshow defying prohibitory orders over the denial of permission for him to hold a rally here.

 

On a day, Modi, whos is contesting from Varanasi, and other top BJP guns traded heavy fire, the Election Commission called a special press conference to reject  accusations of bias and made it clear that it was "not afraid of anyone, any political party or any entity" in doing its job.

 

Capping an acrimonious day, Modi landed at the Banaras Hindu University campus helipad, near the venue of the party protests,  and held an undeclared 5 km roadshow to the main BJP election office in Sigra, where a large number police and Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed.

 

All along the route, he was greeted by saffron-cap wearing supporters, who kept on chanting ’Modi, Modi, Modi’ as the cavalcade made a slow progress to the venue of a meeting where he held closed-door discussions with senior leaders, workers and intellectuals.

 

Additional District Magistrate (City) M C Singh said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Cr PC have been imposed in the city.

 

Sampath said the Commission has noticed that attacks on it are on the increase in recent days.

 

"We have also taken note of certain rather harsh and sweeping allegations made against EC...sometimes this had happened after some harsh measures were taken by the Commission," the CEC said.

 

When pointed out by reporters that several leaders including Narendra Modi and Md Azam Kan have ’challenged’ the Commission bbut the poll panel has remained silent, Sampath said EC is not contesting elections but conducting them. "...but when it (attacks) went beyond threshold limit, we have responded."

 

Responding to allegations of bias, he said the "Commission is the body created under the Constitution and one of the pillars of democracy. Constitution has given enough power to the Commission to perform its duties boldly and impartialy."

 

Sampath said the job of the Election Commission is "challenging" in enforcing electoral law, Model Code of Conduct, judiciously, rigorously and in non-partisan manner.

 

Dismissing the allegations of the "lack of neutrality", he said, "EC has satifaction in the job it has been doing and we will continue to do so to uphold the constitution. The credibility, neutrality and impartiality of EC is a national heritage."

 

Asked about the demands made by several political parties, including the BJP, for removal of certain returning officers, the CEC said, "We don’t transfer officials on small ’choti, choti (small) complaints. We, however, investigate those complaints at our own level and transfer officials if greviance is true."

 

Sampath said, the EC has always given "due regard" to the greviances "emanted" from any political party and will continue to do so in future.

 

The EC had last night expressed "surprise" and "disappointment" over BJP’s decision to hold protests against denial of permission to Narendra Modi for his programmes in Varanasi.

 

In a letter to BJP leader Arun Jaitley, the EC said the protests were announced despite the poll body trying to resolve the matter "in accordance with law and the ground situation".

 

The letter had clarified that while earlier a BJP representative Vidyasagar Rai had requested for an alternative site on May 6, Jaitley later urged the returning officer not to process the permission.

 

"In the whole matter, the Commission decided not to go by the version conveyed by the district magistrate alone, but consulted the UP Chief Secretary and the DGP, who endorsed the security and suitability aspects including capacity of the ground (in Beniya Bagh), raised by the district officials.

 

"You will appreciate that the Commission cannot overlook the security concerns expressed by competent authorities," the letter said.

 

The EC letter said while permissions for ’Ganga poojan’ and ’meeting of eminent citizens’ have been granted by the district magistrate, the permission for rally was under consideration due to security and related concerns.

 

It pointed out that permissions for rallies were dealt at the district level and not directly by the EC.