The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP wrote to the Election Commission on Thursday asking that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi be refrained from campaigning in the state ahead of the Assembly elections. The BJP alleged that Rahul had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and asked the EC to ensure that an FIR was filed against him by the police for 'inciting youth to another freedom struggle'.
The complaint was based on Rahul's campaign at the St Joseph's Matric Higher Secondary school in Mulagumoodu in Kanyakumari district. The complainant, BJP state-in-charge of the election liaison committee, V Balachandran alleged that Rahul's speech at the school was akin to an election campaign in the institution's premises. He claimed that this was a violation of guidelines.
He also stated in his complaint that the Congress leader should be booked for abetting incitement and for sedition in connection to his remarks that India needs another freedom struggle. The BJP leader alleged that the comments were made with the intent to stir hatred against the government.
Quoting Rahul Gandhi during his interaction with students, the memorandum said, "The Congress leader's comparison of the current situation with that of pre-Independence during the British rule and inciting the youth for another freedom struggle has been made with the intent to cause hatred, contempt and excite disaffection towards the government established byelaws."
While answering a question, Gandhi had replied, "There is a lot of anger being spread in the country, a lot of fear, and that is what we have to fight. We have to fight the division, anger, fear and once again make India happy, comfortable, fearless and united," it said.
The Congress is currently in negotiations with the DMK for seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as the state goes to the polls on April 6. Counting of votes will take place on May 2.