EC slaps notice on Sonia, Guj Congress chief

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi seems to have got a reprieve from the Election Commission for his remarks during an election rally last week and has even managed to lob the ball into the Congress party's court.

The commission, after studying a seven-page explanatory letter from Modi, sent in reply to a show cause notice of the commission, has deferred its ruling on Modi's conduct.

It has also slapped notices on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh asking them to explain their election speeches in Gujarat.

Modi, in his letter, which, he himself calls a "preliminary reply'' to the Commission, has pointed out the inconsistencies in reporting of his said speech on December 4 at Magrol by the media. He has even sent the commission an original recording of his speech.

Modi, in his speech, was reported to have justified the killing of Sohrabbudin allegedly at the hands of state agencies.

Modi's reply was considered at a meeting of the full commission headed by the chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami today. The commission decided to study it further and deferred its ruling.

The commission had asked Modi why action should not be taken against him for the his speech, which, if true, according to it "amounted to spreading hatred among the communities.''

Interestingly Modi, through his reply to the Commission, has virtually turned the tables on the Congress by pointing out implied abuses allegedly showered on him by Sonia Gandhi and Digvijay Singh.

The commission has also taken cognizance of Modi's  grievances and sent notices to Congress leaders for their remarks.

Modi has referred to Sonia's alleged reference to him as "maut ka saudagar (the merchant of death)'' and Singh's remarks that Gujarat had many "Hindu terrorists.''

Congress has been asked to reply to the commission by Tuesday morning- the day Gujarat goes to the polls.