BJP leader Giriraj Singh’s remark that Narendra Modi critics have “no place in India. their place is in Pakistan” has forced the Election Commission (EC) to order a clamp down on him. He has been banned from further campaigning, with the EC on Tuesday asking Bihar and Jharkhand governments not to allow public meetings, processions, rallies or roadshows where he is “expected or likely to participate”. The EC also issued Singh a notice for violating the model code by referring to “cow slaughter” and threatening those who do not vote for Modi. He has been asked to explain his stance by 5 pm on April 24. “Aaj desh ke andar gaay kaatne waalon ko subsidy di ja rahi hai, lekin gaay palne waaley ko kuch nahin. Jo log Narendra Modi ko rokna chahtey hain ve Pakistan dekh rahe hain. Aise logon ki jagah Hindustan mein nahin, Jharkhand mein nahin, Pakistan mein hogi (Those who slaughter cows are given subsidy and those who protect cows get nothing. Those who want to stop Narendra Modi are looking at Pakistan. The place of all such people are in Pakistan,” Giriraj Singh allegedly said while campaigning for BJP in Deoghar and Bokaro in Jharkhand. Singh is himself a BJP candidate from Nawada in Bihar. A video of his speech has been provided along with the notice to Singh. The directions to both the state governments, the EC said, were aimed at ensuring peace and communal harmony. 'Directing that “FIRs in the matter shall be investigated quickly and brought to a logical conclusion”, the EC said all preventive measures should be taken against Singh under CrPC to ensure “public tranquility and law and order”. The EC has sought a compliance report by April 24. Observing with “serious concern” the highly inflammatory speeches made on April 18, the EC said these statements “promote enmity, hatred and ill-will and create disharmony between communities”. The EC said Singh’s statements are “highly prejudicial to harmony and likely to disturb peace and public tranquility and such public utterances have the effect of outraging religious feelings and religious beliefs of different classes of citizens of India and threatening some sections of voters”. “The Commission particularly noted that part of his utterance that people who do not vote for Modi shall have to find their place in Pakistan violates the Indian Constitution which guarantees equality and equal opportunity, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, and right of free exercise of franchise,” the EC said. FIR registered against Togadia EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE BHAVNAGAR The Bhavnagar city police registered an FIR against VHP international working president Pravin Togadia Tuesday on charges of inciting communal hatred. The B Division police station where the offence was registered recorded statements of around 20 residents of Sanatorium area after the Election Commission had ordered an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the local police on Monday. The police have submitted the ATR to the EC. Deputy SP R L Patel told mediapersons that after an inquiry, they had lodged an FIR against Togadia. “We have procured CD of his speech from media houses and prima facie we have concluded that he committed offence under IPC Sections 153(a), 153(b) and 188,” he said.
