EC asks Yogi to be 'more careful', expresses displeasure at NITI V-C remark

Says NITI Aayog's Kumar violated poll code with comments on NYAY; lets off Uttar Pradesh CM over 'Modiji ki sena' remark, asks him to be careful in future

The Election Commission (EC) said on Friday that Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar violated the model code of conduct when he made comments against the Congress’ proposed NYAY scheme.
 
However, the EC expressed "displeasure" over his remarks and did not take any further action.
 
In a communication sent to Kumar, the EC asked him to be cautious in future while making statements.
 

"The Commission has come to the conclusion that your above-mentioned comments violate the said MCC norms. The Commission has therefore, decided to convey it's displeasure to you and expects that you shall excercise caution in future," the EC said in the letter sent to Kumar.

 
On March 27, the poll panel had sought Kumar's response on his remarks in which he had attacked the Congress over its minimum income guarantee promise.
 
The EC had felt that since Kumar is a bureaucrat, his remarks were prima facie violative of the model code.
 
Kumar is learnt to have told the Election Commission that he spoke against Congress's Nyuntam Aay Yojna (Nyay) scheme as an economist and not as part of the policy body.
 
At a press conference here on March 25, Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income if his party comes to power.

 
The EC is also learnt to have let off Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with a light rap for his "Modiji ki sena" remark, asking him to be more careful in the future.
 
Not satisfied with the remarks, the EC is learnt to have told him that be "more careful in his utterances in future", sources said.
 
They said the EC also told Adityanath that since he is a senior politician holding an important position, his remarks should reflect his stature.
 
The commission was not satisfied with his reply in which he is learnt to have hailed the role of the EC in conducting polls.

 
The EC had issued the Uttar Pradesh chief minister a show cause notice based on a video clip submitted by the Ghaziabad district magistrate which showed Adityanath making the remarks at the election rally there on Sunday.