Hailing the Election Commission's decision to ban BJP leader Amit Shah and SP leader Azam Khan from addressing public meetings in Uttar Pradesh, Aam Aadmi Party today demanded that they be "debarred" from entering the state for the full duration of the Lok Sabha elections.
"The utterances of Shah and Khan, which led to the EC ban, were part of their sinister design to polarise votes along communal lines," party candidate from Allahabad Lok Sabha seat Adarsh Shastri said here.
"The EC's action was in keeping with the general mood in the country, represented by AAP, which seeks probity in public life and refuses to be ensnared by these gimmicks," he said.
"We demand that the EC must not stop here, but consider even more stringent measures which could set an example and deter others who may be planning to play the communal card.
"In our opinion, both Shah and Khan should be debarred from even entering the state for the full duration of Lok Sabha elections," Shastri told media persons.
Shastri also condemned SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and party leader Abu Azmi for their recent comments against capital punishment for rape accused, saying "this shows that politicians blinded by vote bank worries are oblivious of the concerns of women."
"This also shows that they are unaware of the power of women, who comprise half of the humanity, and unmindful of the fact that their support has played a crucial role in making AAP a force to reckon with in such a short time."
Shastri expressed confidence that although he was a novice in politics and his party had very little foothold in the Hindi heartland, they would make an impact on the people.
"We will make an impact as we will go to the people with issues like appointment of an ombudsman for checking corruption in UP Public Service Commission and setting up of an IIM and an AIIMS-like medical institute in Allahabad.
