The Election Commission of India (ECI, ) on the 6th of May, cleared the complaints lodged against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is the 7th complaint of the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which was cleared by the ECI.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) filed a complaint against PM Modi and said, during a public rally, on the 9th of April in Chitradurga Mr. Modi violated the MCC.
Pranav Jha, the Spokesperson of the KPCC said, during the rally, Modi addressed voters and asked them to “dedicate their vote to the Air Force” for carrying out the Balakot air strikes.
On the 26th of February, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Government ordered to launch airstrikes in Balakot, which killed approximately 300 terrorists belonging to Jaish e Mohammed terrorist group in Pakistan.
The airstrikes were launched in the wake of Pulwama terror attack, which took away lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, on the 14th of February.
Mr. Jha said, “The PM has invoked the army time and again, referring to the Armed Forces as his own forces. He has invoked martyrs of Pulwama to get votes. One doesn’t know what more is he capable of. But one knows that EC will have a tough time explaining its role in retrospect.”
This is not the first time the Modi led BJP used the Pulwama attack and the Balakot air strikes to gain votes. In several rallies and roadshows PM Modi and the BJP leaders used the issue to gain votes.
However, the ECI dismissed the complaints and gave a clean chit to the Prime Minister. The ECI said PM Modi did not violate the MCC.
The MCC is a set of guidelines imposed by the ECI from the day of announcement of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections dates and continues till the results are announced,
The Lok Sabha elections started from the 11th of April and will continue till the 19th of May 2019.
The major parties contesting the Lok Sabha elections are the INC and the BJP.
The results of the Lok Sabha elections will be announced on the 23rd of May 2019.
Stay tuned for further updates about the Lok Sabha elections.
