Ban Rahul Gandhi from holding rallies: HP BJP to EC

The Himachal Pradesh BJP Wednesday urged the EC to ban Congress chief Rahul Gandhi from holding poll rallies for levelling "baseless" allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by "misinterpreting" a Supreme Court order.

The demand comes a day after the Election Commission served a notice to Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Satpal Satti for his alleged derogatory remarks against the Gandhi scion.

Accusing the Congress president of "deliberately misinterpreting" the apex court's April 10 order allowing "leaked" defence ministry documents to be taken on record, the party submitted memorandums to district election officers (DEOs) across the state addressed to the chief election commissioner (CEC).

In the state capital Shimla, BJP workers led by state vice president Ganesh Dutt and Shimla Mayor Kusum Sadrate submitted the memorandum to Deputy Commissioner cum District Election Officer Rajeshwar Goel.

In the memorandums, the BJP stated that the SC had on April 15 issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale controversy and asked him to explain by April 22 his 'chowkidar chor hai' remarks against Modi.

The notice came after the saffron party filed the petition in the top court on April 12.

Following the apex court's ruling on the "leaked" Rafale documents, the Congress chief had claimed a moral victory and said that the court had clarified that Modi "committed theft", the memorandum said, adding that Rahul Gandhi's comment was in violation of the SC order.

Requesting the CEC to take action against the Gandhi scion, the BJP argued that it was necessary for ensuring free and fair elections.