The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have engaged in a war of words over Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s ‘Akbar’ remark.
Himanta Biswa Sarma stoked up controversy while delivering a speech in Chhattisgarh’s Kawardha when he spoke against Congress candidate Mohammad Akbar.
Taking to platform X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote, “Yesterday, the Congress party brought to the attention of the Election Commission of India serious electoral malpractices by senior leaders of the party in power. The ECI has observed prima facie the violation of the Model Code of Conduct by the Assam CM for his obnoxious hate speech on 18th of October in Chhattisgarh. He is actually a serial offender.”
“We hope that the ECI will follow through and take this case to its logical conclusion. Politicians, especially those holding Constitutional positions, cannot and should not be allowed to get away with such blatant violations of the Model Code of Conduct. It is the only way to stop the poisoning of our public discourse and protect the sanctity of our elections and democracy itself,” he further wrote.
Following this, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a show cause notice to the Assam Chief Minister.
According to reports, the notice was issued by the ECI for the alleged violation of its model code of conduct by CM Sarma during his campaigning in Chhattisgarh ahead of elections in the state. The Assam CM has until 5pm of October 30 to respond to the notice.
As a response to this, on Friday, Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X and wrote, “Congress has withheld the material information from the Hon’ble Election Commission that Mohammed Akbar is their candidate from Kawardha Constituency. Therefore legitimate criticism of a candidate does not amount to communal politics. Cong will have to face the legal consequence of not revealing this crucial fact in their representation. I have full faith in the collection wisdom of the Hon’ble Election Commission.”
