Bhopal, Apr 13 (PTI) Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday took objection after a video showing slogans being shouted in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP at a congregation of the Dawoodi Bohra community here went viral.
It amounted to seeking votes by using religion and the Election Commision should take note of it, the opposition party demanded. But no formal complaint had been lodged yet.
The video showed BJP candidate from Bhopal, Alok Sharma, saying part of his party’s slogans “Modi hai to mumkin hai” and “Abki baar, 400 paar”, and the audience from the Bohra community chanting the remaining part. A child is also seen holding aloft a cut-out of Modi.
A cleric is also heard saying, “We value our prime minister Narendra Modi.” State Congress chief spokesperson Abbas Hafeez claimed that the BJP candidate was shouting campaign slogans inside a mosque which was a gross violation of the code of conduct.
“We ask the Election Commission when it is going to take cognizance and act. Is the EC’s remit only limited to taking action against the opposition?” he said.
When contacted, state Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said, “No complaint has come to us yet. If it comes, we will examine it and take action as per the rules.” Ibrahim Ali Daudi, media-in charge of the local Dawoodi Bohra community, told PTI that the video was shot at Jamat Khana, a community hall, on Friday night. It was not a mosque as claimed, he said.
“Our community is hurt by the circulation of the video. Our community is non-political. Such incidents happen rarely,” he said.
State BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi, on the other hand, said the Congress “has lost its mental balance” as every community is supporting Modi. PTI LAL KRK
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