EC show-cause to AAP for comments linking PM Modi with Adani

The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the Aam Aadmi Party for alleged disparaging remarks made against the prime minister on its social media handle and asked it to respond to the charge of poll code violation by November 16.

The notice has been issued to the national convener of the AAP. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the national convener of the AAP, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab.

The BJP had on November 10 approached the Election Commission and demanded action against the AAP for posting "very unacceptable" and "unethical" video clip and remarks on a social media platform targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The AAP on Wednesday last had posted a video story on 'X' featuring industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Modi. The next day, the party posted a picture of Adani and Modi, and alleged that the prime minister works for the industrialist and not the people.

In its notice to the AAP, the Election Commission stated, "...the present alleged matter has been found to be posted from the handle of the Aam Aadmi Party itself, which being a national party is expected to exercise caution through verification of facts before publishing and disseminating such content in public domain." A BJP delegation, comprising Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, party national media in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni and party leader Om Pathak, approached the poll panel on the issue.

"From its official handle, the AAP has posted a video and two tweets (posts on X) in which it has said very unacceptable, reprehensible, mischievous and unethical things about the democratically elected head of the government," Puri told reporters after raising the issue with the EC.

"It is saying in it (these posts) that a democratically elected leader, who happens to be the prime minister, is a paid employee of some individual," the Union minister said and added this act of the AAP was a new low in politics.

In its notice, the EC stated, "The national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party is hereby called upon to explain the statements/allegations/averments, made in the alleged social media posts under reference, against a star campaigner (PM Modi) of another national party and against the political party and by insinuation and innuendo against the candidates for the state elections and to show cause why appropriate action for violation of model code of conduct read with relevant election and penal laws should not be taken against you." "In the event of no response from your side within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the mater without making any further reference to you," the poll panel said.

Assembly polls are underway in five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.