Cong complains to EC over 'politicisation' of armed forces, Irani's 'contradictory' affidavits

The Congress on Friday moved the Election Commission against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for allegedly "dragging" the armed forces in the political domain by using them to seek votes.

A Congress delegation, comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Randeep Surjewala, made several representations such as over Union minister Smriti Irani's "contradictory affidavits" to the Election Commission on her educational qualifications and a web series on Prime Minister Modi.

The party gave a memorandum to EC over Irani's contradictory affidavits, demanding that she should be disqualified from contesting.

"PM Modi, BJP chief (Amit Shah) and other leaders of the ruling party are shamelessly and openly, for the first time in 70 years, are dragging the forces into cheap politics," Singhvi told reporters outside the Election Commission.

"Dragging the armed forces in political crossfire, asking for votes and doing cheap politics (using the forces), only Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have done this," he said.

Singhvi said the Congress has asked the EC to stop such violations and also requested the commission to not just censure or pull up those violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), but dock the person guilty of violation a day of campaigning.

"If the person makes another violation, he/she should be barred from two days of campaigning, similarly three and four days for third and fourth violation," he said.

Singhvi said the EC should also put a stop on the web series on Modi, citing the commission's order stalling a biopic on the prime minister.