Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought up the Pulwama terror attack on the eve of filing his nomination papers from Varanasi on Thursday, 25 April, despite the Election Commission's asking parties to desist from indulging in political propaganda involving actions of the armed forces.
Talking about the attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF army jawans on Thursday, PM Modi said that terrorists had frequently targeted "aastha" (faith) till 2014 by carrying out attacks at religious places like Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi and Akshardham temple in Gujarat, but the then Central government "only talked about holding talks" (with Pakistan).
“But our style is different. In similar circumstances, we told them that the new India does not just talk and tolerate, but we respond to terrorists in their own language,” he said about India’s retaliatory action in Balakot after JeM carried out the ghastly attack in Pulwama.
"Whether it is the Pulwama attack, Uri attack or any other issue, I have only one mantra with which I have lived - the country comes first, India first," he said, addressing a gathering here, after conducting a mega road show and performing "aarti" at Dashashwamedh Ghat this evening.
He said that in the last five years there had been no attack on any place of worship, including any temple and that terrorism was "now restricted to only a small part of Jammu and Kashmir".
Talking about the 14 February terror attack on CRPF convoy, in which 40 personnel were killed, the Prime Minister said that after that, 42 terrorists had been eliminated. "The count could go up as we speak," he added.
EC Moves a Step Further, Takes Cognisance of PM Modi’s Remark
The EC had taken cognisance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on 9 April, asking first-time voters to dedicate their vote to those who carried out the air strike in Balakot, and sought a report from poll officials in Maharashtra.
Sources in the poll panel told PTI that the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra has been asked to submit a report at the earliest.
Addressing a rally in Ausa in Mahrashtra's Latur on 9 April, Modi said, "Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike? I want to tell the first-time voters: can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans (valiant soldiers) who carried out the air strike in Pakistan). Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed (brave martyrs) of Pulwama (terror attack)?”
The report has been sought in the context of an EC advisory issued last month asking parties to desist from indulging in political propaganda involving actions of the armed forces.
"...parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence forces," the commission had said on 19 March.
Opposition Flags Violation of MCC
Opposition parties had objected to the reference to Balakot air strikes by PM Modi. Earlier this month, on 9 April, the Communist Party of India (M) had approached the EC alleging violation of the poll panel's directive after PM Modi asked first-time voters at a rally in Maharashtra to dedicate their votes to the brave men who carried out the air strike in Pakistan's Balakot.
In the letter, the CPI (M)'s politburo member Nilotpal Basu urged the poll panel to "strongly initiate" appropriate action to stop the pre-election atmosphere from being vitiated, which is fast degenerating towards polarisation.
“With deep anguish we are drawing your attention to the latest violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. He is also violating the specific direction of the Election Commission to refrain from invoking the armed forces for seeking votes,” Basu wrote.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had also tweeted on 9 April hoping that first-time voters in this Lok Sabha election ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi why the Balakot air strike became necessary.
"I hope the first-time voters ask PM Modi why Balakote became necessary in the first place. Why did the Pulwama attack succeed? On whose watch have attacks in Uri, Pathankote, Sunjwan (Jammu), Nagrota & Pulwama happened? Don't reward Balakote, punish Pulwama! (sic)" Abdullah tweeted.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in an apparent reference to the EC barring electioneering by invoking the defence forces, took a sarcastic swipe at the prime minister.
"Repeat after me. MCC is Modi Code of Conduct," she tweeted.
‘Dedicate Your First Vote to Brave Pulwama Martyrs’
Addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Latur, Modi said, "I want to tell the first time voters, can you dedicate your first vote to the the brave men who carried out the airstrike in Pakistan's Balakot? "Can your first vote be dedicated to the brave martyrs of the Pulwama (terror attack)?" The Election Commission had last month asked all political parties to desist from using photographs of defence personnel as part of their election propaganda or campaigning.
Citizen Accuses EC of Violating MCC
Meanwhile, EC has been accused of violating the Model Code of Conduct for refusing to act on repeated complaints pointing out that PM Modi violating the guidelines, The Wire reported.
Mahendra Singh, President of the West Bengal Forum for Mental Health wrote to EC on 20 April in his complaint that the poll panel has violated the MCC guidelines from chapter 23, page 227, by not acting on his repeated complaints on code violations by PM Modi.
According to the report, Singh has highlighted that the cited guidelines clearly specify that the "complainants will also be informed of the action taken by SMS and by the call centre." He added that the complainant can also see the details of action taken on their complaints and that all complainants should be dealt with promptly and properly.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS and The Wire)
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