BJP complains against Shaktisinh Gohil in EC

Gandhinagar, 28 March 2014

On BJP election management committee Chairman Parshottam Rupala’s complaint, the election commission has taken cognisance of Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil’s remarks and sought report from suitable officer.

According to BJP media cell release, Shaktisinh had on 21 March said something about Hindu dharma and saints which could hurt religious sentiments, and which could desturb the atmosphere of Hindu-Muslim harmony.

Full text of BJP’s complaint

1) The Election Commission of India

Nirvachan Sadan,

Ashoka Road, New Delhi.

2) The Chief Electoral Officer, Gujarat State,

Block No. 7, 2nd floor,

Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar.

Sub.: Election offence committed by Shaktisinh while addressing press conference on

21.03.14.

Sir,

1. The election commission of India has been pleased to declare the election for the parliamentary constituency on 5/3/2014. It is submitted that the election commission of India has specifically declared along with the schedule for the election that the model code of conduct should be made applicable to the whole country from the date of the declaration of the election irrespective of the date of the notification issued under the representation of peoples act 1951.

2. It is submitted that the election commission is continuously engaged in the process of conducting fair and free elections either for the legislative assemblies of different states or for parliamentary constituency for the whole country. It is submitted that the election commission has established a well accepted principles in form of model code of conduct which are to be strictly observed and followed by all the political parties, the ruling government and all the members of various political parties engaged in political activities. It is also submitted that in addition to the provisions of the model code of conduct, the legislature has been pleased to provide for a specific any comments are restraining political people from committing any offence relating to politics.

3. It is submitted that as a result of this continuous process of election wherein the election commission forms an essential component, the election commission has an opportunity to assess and scrutinise the behaviour of each and every political party and the members thereof on a regular basis for different legislative as well as parliamentary elections from time to time. It is submitted that there are so many members of the political parties and particularly political parties like Indian national Congress who have been the ruling party for decades together have developed a habit of violating the model code of conduct and also taking all the statutory provisions in this behalf for granted. All the members of the Indian national Congress party as well as the office bearers and the top brass from the party are habituated of violating the model code of conduct and acting in an anarchic manner which is absolutely in Cannes contravention to the provisions of the representation of peoples act 1951 and also is an offence in light of the provisions of chapter 9 of the Indian penal code.

4. It is submitted that one such instance which has now occurred on a regular basis and the said issue is being used by the Indian national Congress party with a view to influence the voters on the grounds of religion, sentiments, customers and classification of the society into different parts. It is submitted that during the 2007 elections in the state of Gujarat the Congress Pres Mrs Sonia Gandhi head made a statement that the people running the government of Gujarat are liars and I merchants of death. A detailed complaint to this effect was filed by the Bharatiya Janta party to the election commission. One such more complaint also came to be filed against Mr Digvijay Singh from Indian national Congress wherein he had referred to the concept of Hindu terrorism. It is pertinent to note that on 2/12/2007 and 7/12/2007, two different complaints came to be filed against both the aforesaid authorised persons from the Indian national Congress party. It is pertinent to note that the election commission after scrutinising the contents of their speeches, was of a strong opinion that the primafacie case has been made out for the purpose of violation of model code of conduct on the aspect of terrorism as well as the statement is to merchants of death(maut-ka-saudagar). It is pertinent to note that the election commission had warned both the aforesaid political entity with regards to the violation of the model code of conduct and commission of offences relating to election by making such statements and creating hatred amongst the society for their personal election and political benefits.

5. It is further submitted that after a lapse of about seven years when this whole issue that is to say “merchants of death”(maut-ka-saudagar) which was dealt with by the election commission and strictures came to be passed against the office bearers of the Indian national Congress party, once again a serious attempt is being made on the part of the members of the Indian national Congress party to see to it that this issue is again raced and all the members of the minority communities who is for the thinking of the Indian national Congress party is their vote bank is attempted to be influenced only on the ground of caste, community, creed and religion as well as religious sentiments of the people. It is submitted that Mr Sakthisinh Gohil while addressing a press conference at the State office of Indian national Congress party at Ahmedabad on 21/3/2014, was specifically asked the question with regards to the issue of merchants of death. It is submitted that while answering this issue, Mr Sakthisinh Gohil is straight away refer to the name of Shri Narendra Modi and not only that he straight away jumped to religious terms like “ram sevaks” and “rahim ke bande”. Mr Sakthisinh Gohil started making personal allegations against Shri Narendra Modi as if Mr Gohil was the Supreme Court of the country and was authorised to adjudicate the sanctity of the personal character of Shri Narendra Modi. It is also submitted that Mr Sakthisinh Gohil did not stop to this extent but he gave his verdict by saying that Mr Modi is a merchant of death and if he’s not to be referred as merchant of death what is he should be referred to. He made a statement that it was a strong belief of Mr Sakthisinh Gohil that Mr Narendra Modi was a merchant of death and also tried to aggravate the media persons by raising a question as to any other suitable name could be attributed to Mr Modi in addition to maut ka saudagar.

6. It is further submitted that while addressing the aforesaid conference Mr Sakthisinh Gohil specifically made a statement as under:

“RAM KE SEVAK KO JALAYA YA JALNE DIYA” AUR “ RAHIM KE BANDO KO MARVAYA”.

It is submitted that the aforesaid statement straight away refers to the religious deities of two different sects and this was a deliberate attempt on the part of Mr secreacy Gohil to divide the society in the name of religion, caste and creed and to invoke hatred amongst the people. A serious attempt has been made by Mr Sakthisinh Gohil for his personal political benefit by making such statement to the effect that there are all chances of a riots being outburst and the whole situation is to know an order can be disturbed. They statement has been made very tactfully to disown the government from making a statement that Gujarat is a safe place and no illegality is whatsoever have taken place during the last three terms of the government ruled by the Bharatiya Janata party. This is nothing but a deliberate political attempt to see to it that no mileage is available to the Bharatiya Janata party run government in the state of Gujarat even at the cost of creating a havoc to the extent of riots among the different classes of the society and also even at the cost of disturbing the law and order situation in the State.

It is further submitted that therefore in light of the aforesaid statement and in light of the fact that this is a regular practice on the part of the Indian national Congress to always disturb the law and order situation, and again at one page by disturbing the previous classes of the society by dividing them in the name of religious sentiments, caste and creed, the election commission is hereby requested to take a very serious view on the matter considering this political modus operandi of the Indian national Congress party and its members and may further be pleased to come down heavily upon all such people from the Indian national Congress party who use religious sentiments for the political benefits. It is submitted that not only a notice is required to be issued by the election commission of India for violation of the model code of conduct, but a simultaneous police complaint is required to be filed against Mr Sakthisinh Gohil for committing the aforesaid offence. The election commission may also be pleased to issue notices upon all the other members of the Indian national Congress party who have indulged themselves in such kind of illegal activities in the past with a view to see to it that no further actions are undertaken of like nature by those people to take advantage during the parliamentary elections which are in progress at this point of time

Thanking you.
Parshottambhai Rupala