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Sonia denies charge of model code violation

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asserted that she did not violate “any part of the model code of conduct” during her election campaign in Gujarat.

In her reply to the Election Commission’s notice on her for the “merchants of death” comment made at an election rally in Gujarat, Ms. Gandhi said that there was “not the slightest violation of the model code of conduct.” The party, however, did not make public the contents of her reply. The notice was issued on a complaint filed by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

Congress leader and general secretary Digvijay Singh also sent his reply to the EC’s notice on his alleged “Hindu terrorism” remark. He also said that he did not violate the model code. He has sought a week’s time to furnish “further detailed reply together with supporting material.”

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said: “A detailed reply has been filed (by Ms. Gandhi) with the EC within the time-limit. The detailed facts and submissions demonstrate clearly why there is not the slightest violation of any part of the model code of conduct.”

He added that the party had taken a decision not to share the contents of the reply. “Let me disappoint you and say that we are not going to share the reply with the press.”

Although the party did not officially disclose the contents of the reply, the statements made by the AICC on Monday suggested that the “merchants of death” comment did not refer to any individual but to the State administration and establishment.

Mr. Singh challenged the allegation against him which was based on a newspaper report. “The newspaper report, which refers to my speech as delivered by me at a press conference at a hotel in Ahmedabad, is not correct and accurate,” he said.

Mr. Singh said he had not referred to or criticised any aspect of the private life of any BJP leader nor had he criticised or made allegations on unverified and distorted facts.

Mr. Singh urged the Commission to ask the complainant, Jayantibhai Barot, BJP State general secretary, to furnish more “concrete material” rather than make a complaint on hearsay.

He said he was in the middle of an election campaign for the party and was in the process of collecting more newspaper clippings, audio and video recordings of the said press conference to buttress his case.

The three-member EC on Sunday had issued notices to Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Singh on complaints filed by the BJP. Both the leaders were asked to submit their reply by Tuesday.

The Commission is yet to give its decision on the reply filed by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly justifying “encounter deaths,” which he claimed was provoked by Ms. Gandhi’s “merchants of death” remark. The Congress had on Monday described as “outrageous” the equating of Ms. Gandhi’s comment with Mr. Modi’s.

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