Poll panel notice to Congress’ minority cell chief
March 27th, 2009 - 9:53 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Election Commission Friday issued notice to Imraan Kidwai, who heads the Congress party’s minority cell in Chandigarh, for his alleged inflammatory remarks during a campaign speech.
The poll panel has asked Kidwai why action should not be taken against him for violating the model code of conduct.
The Commission has asked him to reply within two days, a statement issued here said.
In a speech near the Jama Masjid in Chandigarh March 15, Kidwai had allegedly said if he had the power, he would have issued a fatwa asking Muslims to abstain from joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The poll panel said it was brought to their notice that the Congress meeting was attended by Minister of State for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal and Congress general secretary and state party in-charge Mohsina Kidwai.
The commission said Kidwai’s inflammatory statements were in violation of the model code of conduct and amounted to promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion. It said the speech was prejudicial to national integration and punishable under the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act.
The Commission said none of the leaders present at the meeting contradicted Kidwai’s statements and nor had the party issued a statement to dissociating itself from his views.
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Tags: bansal, bharatiya janata party, campaign speech, chandigarh, code of conduct, congress party, election commission, enmity, fatwa, general secretary, indian penal code, inflammatory remarks, inflammatory statements, jama masjid, kidwai, minister of state, model code, national integration, New Delhi, pawan kumar
