Cong. delegation's meeting with EC over PM Modi 'Ramzan Diwali' remark postponed

In the wake of the uproar created over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Diwali, Ramzan bhed-bhav' remark, the meeting between the delegation from the Congress with the Election Commission of India (ECI), scheduled for today at 5.30 p.m., has been postponed till further notice.

The delegation was to consist of Kapil Sibal, Deputy Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP Satyawrat Chaturvedi and Secretary of the Legal and Human Rights Department of the Congress party K.C. Mittal.

Earlier, branding the comment as deplorable, Mittal appealed to the ECI to exercise its constitutional powers and take stern action to ensure that free and fair elections are held.

Mittal told ANI that the Bharatiya Janata Party symbol should be withdrawn and should be derecognised.

"We will approach the ECI that stern action should be taken against the Prime Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Earlier also, we have made number of complains and have requested de-recognisation of their symbol. We hope and expect that the ECI will ultimately exercise their constitutional powers and ensure that free and fair elections are held. Their symbol should be withdrawal and should be derecognised," he added.

He further said that the speech was not only deplorable but it totally violates in the model code of conduct.

Prime Minister Modi had said that no government must discriminate the public on the lines of religion and caste.

"Ramzan me bijli aati hai toh Diwali me bhi aani chahiye; Bhed-bhaav nahin hona chahiye (If there is electricity during Ramadan then it must be available during Diwali too; there shouldn't be any discrimination)," he said.

The other statement which seems to have invited the wrath of the Congress was - "Gaon me kabristaan banta hai, toh shamshaan bhi banna chahiye" (If land is given for cemetery in a village, it should be given for cremation ground also)."

Last week, the Congress has asked the ECI to take action against Prime Minister Modi and the BJP for hosting a public rally in Uttarakhand without permission.

Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay had dispatched a letter to the ECI, terming the Prime Minister's February 10 public rally as unauthorised and an open case of model code of conduct violation.

In January, the BJP had demanded that the ECI freeze the election symbol of Congress alleging that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi violated the model code of conduct by linking his party symbol "hand" with various religious figures.