Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021: BJP urges election commission to restrain Rahul Gandhi from campaigning

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has approached the election commission seeking an order to restrain Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from campaigning in the state for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.

The party's state in-charge, election liaison committee, V Balachandran also urged the commission to direct the police to register an FIR against Gandhi for "inciting the youth to another freedom struggle."

In a memorandum submitted to the chief electoral officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo, the BJP alleged that Gandhi's campaign in St.Joseph's Matric Higher Secondary School in Mulagumoodu in Kanyakumari district on March 1 was akin to an election campaign in school premises.

Asserting that his political campaign in the educational institution violated provisions of the model code of conduct, the BJP demanded strict action including "prohibitory orders for his poll campaign in Tamil Nadu."

The memorandum also stated that Gandhi committed offences under sections 109 (punishment for abetment) and 124 A (sedition) of the IPC for his remarks.

During his interaction with students, Rahul Gandhi had said, "There is a lot of anger being spread in the country, a lot of fear, and that is what we have to fight. We have to fight the division, anger, fear and once again make India happy, comfortable, fearless and united."

The memorandum further said that the Congress leaders' "comparison of the current situation with that of pre-Independence during the British rule and inciting the youth for another freedom struggle has been made with the intent to cause hatred, contempt and excite disaffection towards the government established bylaws."

The assembly elections in Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

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