I can't be Azam Khan and not follow EC's order: Giriraj Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Giriraj Singh, who has been banned by the Election Commission from campaigning in Bihar and Jharkhand for his highly inflammatory speeches, said Wednesday that he will follow the poll body's directive, as he is not like Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, who had refused to apologise for his hate speech.

"I am not Azam Khan, who has refused to abide by the law. If the EC has issued an order, then I will duly follow it," said Singh.

"I will follow every direction of the Election Commission, and will appeal to them that my statements were interpreted wrongly, and that there should be a reconsideration of their decision," Singh added.

The EC on Tuesday had banned Giriraj Singh from campaigning in Bihar and Jharkhand for his highly inflammatory speeches. In its directive to chief secretaries in both states, the election commission asked them not to allow Singh to hold rallies, public meetings and road shows, and to take all preventive measures to restrain him.

The Election Commission was very critical of Singh's speech, as it was declared violative of principles enshrined in the Constitution. Such statements only promote a feeling of hatred and ill-will and create disharmony between different communities, it said.

The poll body also asked the states for compliance reports by Thursday evening.

It also issued a show cause notice to Giriraj Singh, asking him to explain his stand by Thursday.

The BJP leader had said that all those who are opposed to Narendra Modi should go to Pakistan, as they have no place in India.