Modi dares EC: You are free to lodge another case against me

Complaining of booth rigging in West Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission was not acting impartially and dared it to take action against him.

"Why are you not acting? What is your intention? If you feel wrong about what I am saying now, then you are free to lodge another case against me," Modi told an election rally in Asansol, West Bengal.

"It is your responsibility to ensure impartial polls. I am making very serious allegations," he said accusing the Election Commission of having failed to take action.

He said poll violence and booth rigging took place in West Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh.

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"I am putting serious allegations against you. You have failed to stop rigging and violence in these areas. False cases have been filed against our candidate Babul Supriyo. The Election Commission's work is to protect people. I request you to fulfill your responsibilities in the right way."

He said that the poll watchdog has all the government machinery at its disposal and have more powers than even the prime minister.

"Democracy doesn't work like this, I know that in the elections on the 30th (April), how much rigging took place. Will this game go on?" he asked.

Modi recalled that he had said in Uttar Pradesh also that in some areas problems are going to happen.

"But the Election Commission could do nothing. Today I am saying it again that in Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh the same thing is going to happen. Is it not the responsibility of the Election Commission that elections should be peaceful, there should be no rigging, no violence," he asked.

The Election Commission had taken serious note of the Gujarat chief minister's violation of the electoral laws, under which no person can display any election matter or address a meeting in a polling booth on the day of election, and a first information report against Modi following its direction.

Modi had told a poll campaign at Tirupati that he had not committed any offence that warranted an FIR and that he only showed a lotus badge to people after casting his vote at Gandhinagar on April 30. Lotus is the symbol of the BJP.

Image: BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi