– Raheem Khan
Jaipur, April 24: A formal complaint has been filed with the Chief Election Officer of Rajasthan by the Rajasthan Election Watch and the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) concerning a purported hate speech delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Banswara on April 21, 2024. The complaint targets PM Modi and several other BJP leaders, alleging a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and specific sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Representatives Kavita Srivastava from PUCL and Mukesh Goswami from the Rajasthan Election Watch submitted the complaint to the CEO OSD, Mr. Suresh Chand, RAS, who received their application on Monday, April 22, 2024. They argue that PM Modi’s speech was not only false but deliberately crafted to incite hate and enmity along religious lines, potentially causing disharmony and animosity among different religious communities.
The complaint asserts that PM Modi’s remarks during the Vijay Shankhnaad Sabha in Banswara targeted Muslims, portraying them as ‘infiltrators’ and accusing the Congress of planning to seize assets from Hindus and distribute them among Muslims. His speech allegedly sought to inflame sentiments by posing questions about the acceptability of certain actions involving Hindu women’s jewelry and property.
Moreover, the complaint highlights concerns about the widespread coverage of PM Modi’s speech, emphasizing its potential to influence elections divisively and cause lasting social consequences.
The application calls for strict action under the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 against PM Narendra Modi, BJP candidates Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya and Dr. Manna Lal Rawat, and organizers of the Banswara event. It seeks penalties including disqualification and campaign prohibitions.
In a related development, PUCL National President Kavita Srivastava and State President Bhanwar Meghwanshi lodged a formal complaint with Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph regarding the hate speech.
The Commissioner initially hesitated to register an FIR due to jurisdictional constraints but eventually agreed to forward the complaint to the Banswara SP for further action under IPC sections 153 (A), 295 (A), and 505.
The PUCL and Rajasthan Election Watch intend to pursue the matter with the Election Commission of India (ECI) and continue advocating for legal action against PM Modi and others implicated in the complaint.
The application was endorsed by notable figures including Kavita Srivastava, V Suresh, Bhanwar Meghwanshi, Anant Bhatnagar from PUCL, and Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Mukesh Goswami, Kamal Tak, Sarfaraz Sheikh from Rajasthan Election Watch. This concerted effort underscores the commitment to upholding electoral integrity and combatting hate speech in political discourse.
