Cong moves EC for arrest of Amit Shah, ban on his campaigning

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Apr 05 2014 | 3:45 PM IST
Congress today demanded that Amit Shah be arrested and banned from campaigning by Election Commission for his "hate speeches" in riot affected western UP districts, alleging that Narendra Modi and his aides were attempting to play the "2002 communal game" of Gujarat all over the country.
Slamming Shah for "stoking communal fire", Congress approached the Commission demanding "stern action" against him as well as BJP and its PM candidate Modi, including derecognition of the party, for the alleged violation of mode of conduct.
In the complaint, K C Mittal, Secretary of AICC's Legal department, accused BJP UP incharge of "creating animosity between communities".
The party said Amit Shah has committed "an offence u/s 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 and it calls for immediate registration of FIR and his arrest along with other BJP workers for their common intention to commit this offence."
Appealing to people of all castes and creed in the country to give no quarter to those spreading the communal poison and trying to divide the society, Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said that they should be taught a befitting lesson.
Campaigning in western Uttar Pradesh which goes to polls on Monday, Shah has spoken of the current election being an opportunity to take "revenge for the insult" during the violence in Muzaffarnagar last year.
"In Uttar Pradesh, especially western UP, it is an election for honour. It is an election to take revenge for the insult. It an an election to teach a lesson to those who have committed injustice," he told a meeting of community leaders two days ago.
Coming down heavily on the BJP, Surjewala said "Narendra Modi and Co" were once again laying the gameplan to replicate the Gujrat violence in 2002 all over the country.
Surjewala said that the "real manifesto" of the opposition party has come out in the open with elections approaching as Modi and Shah are resorting to unabashedly low level campaigning.
"BJP perhaps will not need a manifesto any longer. Modi and his conscience keeper Amit Shah have attempted to divide the people of the country through their hate and divisive speeches on the basis on caste and religion.
"They are only talking of cutting into pieces, killing, taking revenge and destroying. This is the real manifesto of BJP which has come to the fore when the elections are nearing," he told reporters.
Surjewala said, "We will make a demand to the state government and election commission that a criminal is lodged against Amit Shah and Muzaffarnagar riots accused MLA Suresh Rana and they should be prevented from campaigning in any part of the country. There should be a complete ban (on them)."
He said when the country is celebrating 'Navratra' (hindu festival), "it is witnessing a black day in the politics of the nation" with the controversial aide of Modi seeking to garner votes by stoking communal fire".
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First Published: Apr 05 2014 | 3:45 PM IST

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