The BJP on Tuesday wrote to the Election Commission complaining against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and DMK Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan for their derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Raut had likened PM Modi to Aurangzeb while addressing a rally in Buldhana in the Vidarbha region. Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan had used a derogatory word against PM Modi while addressing a public event in the state.
Sanjay Raut had said that while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born in Maharashtra, Aurangzeb was born in present-day Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi.
The BJP said that the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP had violated the Model Code of Conduct and several sections of the IPC as well through his comments. The BJP sought filing of an FIR against Raut in the matter.
The party further said in the complaint that Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray was present when Raut made the remarks against PM Modi and urged the poll body to direct both Raut and Uddhav to apologise to the Prime Minister. It said in the complaint that Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut should also apologise to the people of Gujarat.
Raut was quoted as saying by news agency PTI, “There is a place called Dahod (in Gujarat) where Modi was born, Aurangzeb was also born there. So this Aurangzebi attitude is marching towards Maharashtra from Gujarat and Delhi, and also against Shiv Sena and our self-respect. Don’t say Modi has come, say Aurangzeb has arrived. We will bury them.”
Similarly, in its complaint against Anitha Radhakrishnan, the BJP urged the poll body to direct the minister to apologise to PM Modi. It further sought a ban on Radhakrishnan from campaigning for the elections and said that an FIR should be filed against him.
Tamil Nadu Minister Radhakrishnan had said that PM Modi inaugurated projects to honour stalwarts like Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Kamarajar only to garner meagre votes. Further, he commented on Modi’s address in Tamil Nadu’s Salem last week, saying that the latter spoke about independence activist Kamarajar “as though they embraced him and brought him to the front”.