EC will take action against Amit Shah if found guilty of making hate speech, says CEC Sampath

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V.S. Sampath has ensured of action against Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's aide Amit Shah

if he was found guilty of making alleged hate speech.

Sampath said that the commission will take action against Shah, after watching the CD of the event where he delivered the alleged hate speech.

"Everybody already knows that the FIR (First Information Report) has been filed against him. In such cases, we go through the CD of the speech ourselves before initiating any action. The CD is currently being secured. Once we see the CD ourselves we will take the final action", said Sampath.

While the BJP defended its UP in-charge in the face of calls for strict action from rival parties, the Congress moved the Election Commission, demanding Amit Shah be arrested for violating the Representation of Peoples Act with his provocative hate speech.

K C Mittal, the head of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) legal cell on Saturday asked the EC to take stern action against the BJP and leaders who are vitiating the atmosphere ahead of the polls.

"They are spreading hatred and dividing people in the name of castes and religions. We have demanded for registration of FIR and local police should arrest him. There should be proceedings against them. It's really horrible to make such a statement in a charged atmosphere of Muzaffarnagar where communal violence has taken place recently and innocent people were brutally killed," Mittal said.

On Friday Amit Shah had met leaders of three communities - Gurjjars, Rajputs and Dalits - at a farmhouse in the town's Gandhi Colony. He apparently spoke of revenge.

"A man can live without food or sleep. He can live when he's thirsty and hungry. But when he's insulted, he can't live. We must seek revenge for the insult heaped on us," he said.

He did the same thing a day before on Thursday while he met leaders of the Jat community at Raajhar village, 40 km from Muzzaffarnagar and delivered a similar vengeful remark.

"This election is about voting out the government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed Jats," Shah said. "It is about revenge and protecting honour." he said.