The Election Commission received a complaint from the Bharatiya Janata Party regarding Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s derogatory remarks, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘pickpocket’ and a ‘Panauti’ (bad omen). During a rally in Rajasthan, Gandhi claimed that the Prime Minister’s presence had caused the Indian cricket team to lose the World Cup. The BJP has taken offense to these comments and has sought action from the Election Commission.
During a campaign event in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, Gandhi emphasized that a pickpocket never operates alone; there are always three individuals involved. One approaches from the front, another from the back, and a third from a distance. Gandhi further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role is to divert the public’s attention. He appears on television, raising issues such as Hindu-Muslim relations, demonetization, and GST, in order to distract the public. Meanwhile, Adani takes advantage of this diversion and seizes the opportunity to acquire money.
The BJP expressed their concerns to the poll panel through a letter, stating that comparing a prime minister to a ‘Jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and ‘Pannauti’ is highly inappropriate for a senior leader and reflects a decline in the quality of political discussions.
The letter further emphasized that labeling someone as a Jaibkatra not only constitutes malicious abuse and a personal attack, but also amounts to character assassination with the intention of damaging their reputation and misleading the public.