Rahul's Kanpur roadshow violated election code

Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Kanpur on Monday landed in a controversy with the district administration claiming that it had violated the election code by stretching beyond the allocated time and area.

"The district administration had allocated time till noon and fixed a 20-km route for Rahul Gandhi's road show. This was done as Monday is Shivratri and there could be a traffic problem," District Magistrate Hari Om said. "But this roadshow completely violated the election code of conduct as it started at 10.30 am continued till 3 pm. It did not stick to the prescribed route and instead covered a stretch of 38 km. Therefore, the organisers of the roadshow will be booked for violating the election code," the DM said.

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Asked whether the Congress general secretary will also be booked in the case, the official said they were still discussing the matter. "It is possible that a case may be filed against Rahul Gandhi. We have videographed the event and are inquiring about it," the DM said.

Rahul's roadshow was also shown black flags by youths belonging to some Muslim groups in Baghai area of the Cantonment. They were shouting slogans of 'Rahul, Go back'. However, state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who was part of the roadshow, denied there was any violation of the model code of conduct and accused the district administration of trying to stop Rahul's mass contact programme at the behest of the Mayawati government. "The party has apprised the Election Commission about the action of the district administration," she said.

Kanpur MP and Union Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal dared the authorities to file a first information report against him. "I had invited Rahul Gandhi for the roadshow. Let the authorities file an FIR against me," he told reporters.

The DM claimed that the roadshow organisers had sought permission for a 38-km stretch but they had been informed on Sunday night about the conditions. "Still they violated the rules and chose to follow the route for which permission had not been granted," he said, adding, "There could have been a security breach or there could have been a clash."

Joshi, however, countered that the detailed programme of the Congress general secretary, including the route, was handed over to the district administration by the district unit well in advance and was also cleared by the Special Protection Group. "The administration, however, revised the programme last night and sent it to the SPG," she claimed. She said that as the people had already been informed about the entire programme, it was not possible to carry out last minute changes.

"During the entire mass contact programme neither Rahul Gandhi addressed a meeting, nor did he take out any procession. Therefore, he has not violated the model code of conduct," the state Congress president claimed.

She alleged that the Mayawati government was "nervous and shaken" after the "success" of Rahul's roadshow in Lucknow. Jaiswal said, "Rahul Gandhi has not violated any election code. Was there curfew in the town that he should not have visited those areas?"

Rahul's roadshow began at the Circuit House on Monday morning and crossed through all the five assembly segments in Kanpur with people standing on both sides of the roads to greet the leader.

In Muslim-dominated Chunnigang area, people welcomed him by showering flowers while the Congress leader garlanded an Ambedkar statue in Bajaria area.

The state Congress said that Rahul received a tumultuous welcome during his roadshow, creating "a new atmosphere in favour" of the party. UP media campaign committee chairman Raj Babbar said the roadshow witnessed large crowds with the youth, women and children particularly eager to meet the Congress leader.