Election Commission raps BJP, Congress; asks them to desist campaigning on caste, religion lines

The Election Commission on Wednesday, rapped BJP and Congress, asking the parties to desist from campaigning along the lines of caste, community, language and religion. India’s socio-cultural milieu cannot be made a casualty to Lok Sabha elections 2024, said the commission. 

The EC rejected BJP’s defence a month after it issued a notice to party president JP Nadda on opposition charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a divisive speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara. It asked him and the party’s star campaigners to desist from campaigning on religious and communal lines. 

The commission also sent a notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to respond to the complaints filed by BJP against him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over their remarks. 

Like Nadda, the EC also rejected Kharge’s defence and asked Congress to not politicise the defence forces and make potentially divisive statements. The EC also asked the party to ensure that its star campaigners and candidates do not make statements that might indicate that the Constitution may be abolished. 

The EC asked the presidents of the two national parties to issue formal notes to their star campaigners to correct their discourse, exercise care and maintain decorum.