Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | In 'DNA' of current EC panel to ignore 'brazen' MCC violations by PM: CPI(M)

New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Saturday slammed the Election Commission, alleging that it is in the "DNA" of the current panel to not take cognisance of the "brazen" violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Citing Modi's remarks that the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress will "bulldoze the Ram temple" and its poll code violation complaints to the commission, the Left party claimed that the election panel has completely ignored its complaints.

Modi, while addressing a Lok Sabha election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki on Friday, alleged that the Congress will run a bulldozer on the Ram temple if the I.N.D.I.A. bloc comes to power.

"If the SP-Congress comes to power, it will send Ram Lalla once again to a tent, and a bulldozer will be rolled over the temple," he said.

The CPI(M), SP and the Congress are among the constituents of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc, formed to take on the BJP in the polls.

Sharing a clipping of a headline in a post on X, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "It is in the DNA of the current ECI (Election Commission of India) not to take cognisance of such brazen violation of the MCC by PM Modi."

"Earlier my complaints on Modi's incendiary communal speeches in Ajmer on April 6, Nawada on April 7, Pilibhit on April 9 with video evidence and the speech of Banswara with clippings of newspaper reports were completely ignored without even the customary acknowledgment," he said.

"The ECI slogan, "Desh ka garv", to describe the current elections is totally hollowed out by such nonconduct of 'free and fair elections' with a level playing field," Yechury said.

The CPI(M) has filed a number of complaints against Modi and other BJP leaders for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, including those related to his speech in Banswara in Rajasthan.

While addressing a rally in Banswara on April 21, Modi had suggested that if the Congress comes to power, it would "redistribute" wealth to Muslims.

He had also alleged that the Congress plans to give the people's hard-earned money and valuables to the "infiltrators" and "those who have more children".

Yechury had written to the Election Commission on April 22 on the Banswara speech, calling it a violation of Section 123 (3) of the Representation of People's Act and the poll code.

In another letter to the commission on April 13, the CPI(M) had raised various instances where Modi making references to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, levelled allegations against opposition parties and labelled them as "opponents of the temple", "being against Lord Ram" and "insulting Lord Ram".

The letter gave references of speeches made by Modi in Nawada in Bihar on April 7, in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh on April 9 and in Ajmer in Rajasthan on April 6.