EC Issues Show-cause Notice to Assam CM Sarma Over 'Akbar' Remarks During Chhattisgarh Poll Campaign

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly making communal remarks during an election campaign in Chhattisgarh.

Attacking the lone Muslim minister and Congress MLA Mohammad Akbar, Sarma had last week said that “the land of Maa (Mother) Kaushalya will get defiled if Akbar isn’t sent off as soon as possible”.

The ECI, in its notice, asked the BJP leader to respond by 5 pm on Monday as to why appropriate action for violation of the Model Code of Conduct should not be taken against him.

The poll body said that it received a complaint on October 19 from the Congress that Sarma, in a public meeting at Kawardha in Chhattisgarh on October 18, “allegedly made communally charged statements” against Akbar.

In the notice, the poll body said that after it announced elections in five states, the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates have come into force. The ECI found Sarma’s speech prima facie violative of the provision of the MCC and RP Act, 1951.

“…Clause 1 of Part I General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of Political Parties and Candidates’ provides that ‘No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic’,” the ECI order reads.

It also reminded Sarma that Clause 2 of Part I General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of Political Parties and Candidates’ provides that criticism of other political parties, when made, should be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.

“Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.”

WHAT HAS SARMA SAID?

The ECI said that it has received a video along with the complaint and they found Sarma saying “If one Akbar comes to a place, don’t forget that he invites 100 more Akbars. So, send him off as soon as possible, otherwise the land of Maa Kaushalya will get defiled”.

Sarma went on to say that love jihad started during the Congress rule. “Today, the tribal of Chhattisgarh and Assam are being provoked and encouraged for religious conversions every day. When someone raises their voice against it, (outgoing Chhattisgarh chief minister) Bhupesh Baghelji says ‘we are secular’. Is beating up and killing Hindus your secularism? This country is a country of the Hindus and belongs to Hindus. Do not teach us this secularism,” Sarma said in Hindi.

The Assam Chief Minister also said that to protect the state, people have to elect “Vijay Bhaiya”. BJP has fielded Vijay Sharma against Akbar.

WHAT’S NEXT?

If Sarma fails to reply to the ECI by the said time, the ECI will presume that he has nothing to say in the matter and “the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the matter without making any further reference…”

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases – on November 7 and 17.