Congress complains to EC on Shah's poll code 'violation'

Karnataka's ruling Congress on Wednesday complained to the Election Commission against the BJP President Amit Shah's alleged violation of the election code by terming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah "anti-Hindu" on Monday.

"We have brought to the notice of the poll panel and the state's chief electoral officer that Shah had violated the poll code by accusing Siddaramaiah of being Ahindu (anti-Hindu) instead of being pro-Ahinda," party's state unit vice-president V.R. Sudarshan told reporters here.

Ahinda is a Kannada acronym for the socio-political movement Siddaramaiah launched in 2006 the betterment of minorities, backward classes and Dalits, after he quit the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). Later he joined the Congress.

"Shah had stated at Shivamogga on March 26 that he (Siddaramaiah) should look at how the Karnataka government is dividing Hindus and Lingayats, let alone other religions. In reality, he is not pro-Ahinda but Ahindu," said Sudarshan.

Terming Shah's charge as a violation of the Representation of the People's Act and an offence under the Indian Penal Code, he urged the poll panel to investigate the complaint and take action against the BJP chief.

State CEO Sanjiv Kumar has directed the Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner, who is also the returning officer for the May 12 assembly election to the constituencies in the state's Malnad region's district, to order an inquiry into the complaint and submit a report on the action taken by Thursday.

Shah was on a two-day visit to the region to campaign for the party ahead of the poll.

--IANS

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