A lawyer, Anand S. Jondhale, has lodged a plea against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Delhi High Court, accusing him of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during his campaign speech in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh on April 9. Jondhale’s plea claims that Modi sought votes in the name of various deities and places of worship, including those of Hindu and Sikh faiths, potentially exacerbating religious tensions and violating MCC regulations.
The plea specifically cites provisions from the Compendium of Instructions Volume-III under Rules General Conduct-I(1) and (3), which prohibit any activity that may exacerbate differences or create animosity between different religious or linguistic communities. Jondhale argues that Modi’s remarks against political opponents, coupled with appeals to religious sentiments, violate these rules.
Despite Jondhale’s petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI) urging action against Modi under IPC Section 153A and seeking his disqualification from elections for six years, the Commission reportedly took no action.
Modi’s recent campaign speech in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, where he made Tamil-centric promises and criticized opposition parties, including the DMK and Congress, further escalated tensions. Modi labeled the DMK and Congress as “anti-national” and accused them of “ceding” Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, a move he described as detrimental to Tamil Nadu’s interests.
