The Election Commission has issued a notice to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for saying in a rally in Himachal Pradesh that 22, 000 people will die if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is voted to power at the centre.
In a rally in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, Rahul had said, "People from Japan ask me a question. They say that they have one fear. 'We will help you, we will build roads. But we are scared whether there will be peace in India. Will people of India fight with each other? This fear is there in our hearts'. If the BJP comes to power, then there will be fighting and around 22,000 people will be killed. This is because they spread anger. This question was never raised before."
The EC in its notice has said that prima facie Rahul has 'violated the model code of conduct'. It has given him time till May 12 to respond to the notice.
The EC further stated, "No party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing difference or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."
The BJP had complained against Rahul's remarks to the EC and had provided a CD of his speech and newspaper clippings.