Cong wants EC to act against Modi for 'kabristan' remarks

The Congress on Monday dropped plans to move the Election Commission against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported use of religion while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress leaders saw red in Modi’s assertions that a village having a ‘kabristan’ (graveyard) should also have a ‘shamsaan’ (cremation ground) and, sought an appointment with the poll commission to lodge a formal protest and seek action.

However, Congress leaders had second thoughts, with a section arguing that their move could be used by Modi to “further polarise the electorate” in Uttar Pradesh, which is known to have voted on caste and religious lines.

Congress leaders pointed out that the BJP’s stupendous performance in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections — when it won 71 of the 80 seats — was mainly due to the polarisation of the electorate in the aftermath of the Muzaffarnagar riots.

“The Election Commission should do its own work. It has a Constitutional mandate... The Election Commission had said earlier that it would not allow such kind of campaign, which is divisive,” Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here.

Earlier, K C Mittal, AICC secretary, Legal and Human Rights Department, said that a Congress delegation would meet Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and seek appropriate action against Modi. But later Mittal conveyed to the commission that the Congress delegation had decided otherwise.