Indian Express, Friday, December 07, 2007
Sent EC stinker, Modi blames Sonia and remembers the
Constitution
The Election Commission today issued notice to Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi over his campaign speech
in which he justified the killing of Sohrabuddin
Sheikh in a fake encounter, a case which is being
heard by the Supreme Court.
Asking him to respond to the notice by Saturday, the
Election Commission, after going through a video
recording of his speech, media reports and complaints,
said it is “prima facie convinced that references to
Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism, in the
speech, amounts to indulging in activity which may
aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred
and causing tension between different communities in
violation of the Model Code.”
“There shall be no appeal to caste or communal
feelings for securing votes,” the EC said quoting the
Model Code of Conduct.
At an election rally in south Gujarat, Modi had said:
“I am thumping my chest and declaring that
Sohrabuddin’s encounter took place on the dharti of
Gujarat. If I have done something wrong, hang me. But
these people, next they will offer a chadar at
Sohrabuddin’s grave.”
Under fire for his remarks with opponents demanding
his disqualification from the polls, Modi, in an
apparent attempt to defuse the controversy, today told
Times Now TV that “fake encounters are not
acceptable”.
“I request the Supreme Court and all Constitutional
authorities not to go by perceptions but to go by
facts. I am a law-abiding citizen and I will ensure
that India’s Constitution remains the supreme
authority,” he said.
He said it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who
provoked him into making the remarks on Sohrabuddin’s
killing. “I began talking about development, about
agriculture and primary education. But when Sonia
Gandhi, in her first rally in Gujarat, called me a
merchant of death, I had to react because in a
democracy it is my duty to take the truth to the
people of the country,” he said.
“I have never justified fake encounters... I have
faced a lot of allegations on the Sohrabuddin issue in
the past six months. So far, I was quiet. But I have
to give an explanation if Soniabehn calls me the
merchant of death. There is no controversy over police
encounters. The controversy is over fake encounters. I
have always opposed and will continue to oppose fake
encounters,” he said.
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