The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a stern warning to BJP and the main Opposition Congress, asking the two major political parties to desist from campaigning along caste, community, language, and communal lines.
The poll panel asked BJP president JP Nadda and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to issue formal notes to their star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, to correct their discourse, exercise care and maintain decorum.
Chief poll body observed that the 'Big two parties cannot not be allowed to weaken the heritage of quality electoral experience of Indian voter'.
In an official notification issued on Wednesday, the poll body directed the BJP and its campaigners to refrain from religious and communal overtones during campaigning in the elections.
Referring to JP Nadda's response to a poll body notice after the Congress lodged a complaint against the BJP alleging 'divisive' campaigning by the saffron party, the election commission cited many hot topics that featured in speeches made by party's star campaigners.
These topics included mentions of wealth distribution clause in the Congress manifesto, the INDIA alliance's alleged attacks on Sanatan Dharma and its tenets, 'Shakti' remarks by Congress leaders, calling the Congress manifesto a 'Muslim League manifesto', Congress claims that the BJP could change the Constitution among others.
Meanwhile, the poll body also pulled up the Congress asking it to make sure that its star campaigners do not make any unsubstantiated claims, such as the BJP may change the Constitution if they are voted to power.
The election commission also rapped the Congress for politicising defence forces as its star campaigners made 'divisive' statements, potentially hurting the soci-cultural fabric of the armed forces.
The poll panel said it took thorough note of the grievances raised against it by both the major parties and rejected their respective defences in response to EC notices, observing that while no unlimited liberty can be granted to the Opposition while campaigning, there rests an extra responsibility with the ruling dispensation when it comes to maintaining political decorum in terms of touching upon sensitive topics like caste, community and religion.
As of now, five phases of the Lok Sabha elections have been completed, taking place on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 respectively. While two more faces are to be held on May 25 and June 1.
The counting of votes will be done on June 4.
