Cong moves EC seeking arrest of Amit Shah

The Congress on Saturday complained to the Election Commission against Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah over his "provocative hate speech", demanding that he be arrested and banned from campaigning for "creating animosity between communities" in riot-hit western UP.

The party also demanded "stern action" against the Bharatiya Janata Party and its PM candidate Modi, including derecognition of the party, for the alleged violation of mode of conduct.      

"BJP, Modi and Amit Shah are trying to replicate the politics of hatred and communal divide like what was done in 2002 in Gujarat," All India Congress Committee spokesman Randeep Surjewala said.

In its complaint, the Congress quoted a media report and said that Shah has made a "provocative hate speech" in a Muzaffarnagar village "to cause animosity between two communities, where communal violence had taken place recently and a large number of innocent persons were brutally killed."

The party said that "the memory of the ghastly and deplorable incident is still vivid in the minds of the people."

Citing the contents of his reported speech, the Congress said, "The statements as reported are with a calculated design to create communal hatred and tension between the two communities for seeking votes in the coming elections."

"This is also an appeal in the name of the caste and community and provokes communal feelings for the purpose of securing votes," it said.

The party said Amit Shah has committed "an offence u/s 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 and it calls for immediate registration of FIR and his arrest along with other BJP workers for their common intention to commit this offence."

"In addition, since it is also a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, immediate action may also be taken against BJP, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi for violation of the code," Congress said.

"It appears that they are incorrigible and a stern action including de-recognition of the political party would be most appropriate in the given circumstance. It is therefore requested accordingly," the party said in the complaint.

Surjewala said, "We will make a demand to the state government and election commission that a criminal is lodged against Amit Shah and Muzaffarnagar riots accused MLA Suresh Rana and they should be prevented from campaigning in any part of the country. There should be a complete ban (on them)."