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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday asked the Election Commission (EC) to review and withdraw its Wednesday’s order to lodge an FIR against Narendra Modi for violating the model code of conduct even as Ahmedabad Police source said they might have to call Modi for questioning.
The BJP, in a letter to EC, disputed the poll panel’s interpretation that Modi violated the model code of conduct by displaying his party’s election symbol “lotus” and then addressing the gathered media persons near a polling booth after having cast his vote in Ahmedabad on April 30. It also pointed out Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Guwahati and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen in West Bengal were as guilty as Modi in addressing the media after having casted their respective votes.
The Ahmedabad Police had registered a case against Modi and others on the instruction of EC under Sections 126 (1)(a) and 126 (1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act and Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for violating section 144 of the CrPC. Any person charged under these penal provisions can be called for questioning and his statement recorded.
