The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday filed a formal complaint with Bihar’s Chief Election Officer (CEO) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remark suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would go to any extent for votes, “even dance.”
The BJP’s letter, submitted by Bindhyachal Rai, Convenor of the party’s Election Commission Coordination Department, urged the Election Commission to take “immediate and exemplary action” against Gandhi, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, news agency PTI reported.
BJP Seeks Action for “Insulting” PM’s Office
According to the complaint, Gandhi’s comment, made during his public rallies in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga on Wednesday, was “personal, mocking, and intended to insult the dignity of the highest constitutional office of the Republic of India.”
The Congress leader had said, “Narendra Modi is ready to enact all types of drama. You try telling him at a poll rally that, Mr Prime Minister, we will vote for you if you dance. He will readily perform Bharat Natyam.”
The BJP alleged that such remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It also accused Gandhi of demeaning the office of the Prime Minister and breaching public decorum. The party urged the Election Commission to issue a show-cause notice to Gandhi, seek an “unconditional public apology,” and bar him from campaigning “for a specified period to preserve the sanctity of democratic and electoral decorum.”
The complaint further claimed that Gandhi’s statements amounted to an attempt to “malign and demean” the Prime Minister’s image for electoral advantage, which, it said, “falls within the ambit of corrupt electoral practice.”
Congress Retorts, Cites PM’s “Mujra” Remark
Responding to the BJP’s complaint, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said it was ironic that the Prime Minister, who himself had used terms such as “mujra” while criticising opponents, was now objecting to the word “dance.”
Khera referred to a May 25 rally in Bihar, where PM Modi had said, “I will foil the plans of the INDIA bloc to rob the SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rights and divert those to Muslims. They may remain enslaved and perform ‘mujra’ to please their vote bank.”
Speaking to reporters in Patna, Khera alleged that the BJP lacked both an agenda and a performance record to present before voters.
PM Modi Alleges Rahul Gandhi “Insulted” Chhathi Maiya
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Muzaffarpur, criticised the Congress and RJD, accusing them of disrespecting Chhathi Maiyya for electoral gains.
“Can anyone insult Chhathi Maiyya for votes in an election? Will the people of Bihar and the country tolerate such an insult?” he asked.
During his Wednesday address, Gandhi had claimed that the Prime Minister intended to take a dip in the Yamuna on the occasion of Chhath Puja, but the plan was cancelled after it emerged that a small puddle of clean water had been arranged since the river itself was dirty.
