The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday served a show-cause notice on Union Minister Anurag Thakur for his “desh ke gaddaron ko” slogan at an election meeting here on Monday. It said prima facie the remarks had the “potential of disturbing communal harmony” and the BJP MP had violated the model code and the electoral law.
He has been asked to respond before Thursday noon, “failing which the Commission shall take a decision without any reference to you”. In the notice, the EC referred to Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, dealing with attempts to promote enmity or hatred between different classes of citizens on the grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language.
The notice said the EC received a report from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Tuesday and it said that at a meeting at Rithala, Mr. Thakur chanted “desh ke gaddaron ko” and the crowd responded, saying “goli maro sa*** ko” (shoot down the traitors) several times.
The Delhi CEO Office on Tuesday said it had submitted a report to the EC on the “provocative” language used by Mr. Thakur while campaigning for the Delhi Assembly election.
At the rally, the MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh had egged on the crowd to raise the incendiary slogan, “shoot the traitors”, after lashing out at those protesting against the CAA.
