Delhi Polls: EC removes Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma from BJP star campaigners list

Delhi Polls: EC removes Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma from BJP star campaigners list
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday removed Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur and West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma from BJP’s star campaigners for Delhi assembly elections over their communally charged and controversial statements.

According to the Commission, the ban will be effective until further orders.

“Election Commission has ordered the removal of Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Sahib Singh from the list of star campaigners of Bharatiya Janata Party for the general elections to the Legislative Assembly of the NCT of Delhi with immediate effect and until further orders,” the statement issued by Election Commission under secretary Pawan Diwan said.

Pointing out that Mr Thakur had ‘prima facie’ violated Model Code of Conduct and Representation of People Act, 1951, the Commission had on Tuesday issued show cause notice to him, asking him to explain his position in making the statement on or before 1200 hours of January 30, failing which the Commission shall take necessary decision without any further reference.

The poll body had said that it has received a report from CEO of Delhi on January 28, that Mr Thakur had made statements after chanting: “Desh ke gaddaro ko’ and followed by response of the crowd ‘Goli maro saalo ko’ many times, while addressing a public meeting on January 27, at Mother Diary, Shamshan Ghat Road, Buddh Vihar, Rithala assembly constituency, in Delhi.

Similarly, the Commission on Wednesday issued notice to Mr Verma, pointing out that he has violated MCC and Representation of People Act, and asked him to explain his position on or before 1200 hours of January 30.

The Commission pointed out that Mr Verma had made statement like, “lakhs of people gather there (Shaheen Bagh). People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them. There is time today, Modi ji and Amit Shah won’t come to save you tomorrow”, the BJP MP had said and the Commission said this statement is violation of MCC.

According to the Commission, Mr Verma had also stated in the public meeting that “if our government is formed, then give me just a month after February 11, and I will remove all mosques built on government land in my Lok Sabha constituency (sic)”.

The BJP leaders remarks caused uproar in various quarters and opposition parties like Congress and the CPI(M) alleged that senior BJP leaders are trying to communalise the atmosphere and demanded action against them. (UNI)