Narendra Modi today targeted Sonia Gandhi over her meeting with the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid alleging that she was resorting to "rabid communalism" and asked the Election Commission to take initiate action.
Congress rejected the charge and said politicians are free to meet religious leaders in a secular country.
The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said Congress "spies" had been closely following his rallies to see if he uttered any "communal" word so that they could go after him.
"They were troubled as there is no smell of communalism in what Modi is saying....They don't know how to deal with me. Sensing defeat, they have dropped the slogan of secularism and started rabid communalism. The Congress leader has started speaking the language of rabid communalism," he said.
Modi was addressing a public meeting in support of BJP candidates in this Uttar Pradesh district on the outskirts of the national capital.
"What she said....I appeal to the Election Commission to initiate action into it....Asking for votes on the basis of communalism is against the rules of the Election Commission," he said.
Congress leader Anand Sharma dismissed Modi's accusations against Gandhi and said politicians are free to meet religious leaders in a secular and diverse country like India.
"We are a secular, diverse country and to be secular does not mean we are atheists. The leaders of Congress and other parties are free to meet Shankaracharya, saints, imams and dharma gurus. It does not mean doing communal politics. Hindu religion is not something given to RSS on contract," he said.
The Election Commission said it will take cognisance of the matter only when it receives a complaint even as Modi wondered as to why the EC had not taken any action so far after Gandhi's reported appeal to Muslims through the Imam that secular votes should not be divided.
Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, to a poser on Modi's demand, said in Jammu that the poll panel will take cognisance if it receives a complaint against Gandhi's appeal through Bukhari.
"We generally, in such matters will take cognisance on the receipt of complaint. As soon as it is received, we will definitely examine and further action would be taken. We should be awaiting that," he told reporters.
