On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and DMK Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan for their disparaging remarks directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Raut's comments likening PM Modi to Aurangzeb, made during a rally in Buldhana, Vidarbha, and Radhakrishnan's derogatory remarks against PM Modi at a public event in Tamil Nadu, drew the ire of the BJP.
During his speech, Raut drew a historical parallel between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's birth in Maharashtra and Aurangzeb's birth in present-day Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi. The BJP contended that Raut's statements not only violated the Model Code of Conduct but also infringed upon several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), demanding the initiation of an FIR against him.
Furthermore, the BJP asserted that Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray's presence during Raut's speech made him complicit in the derogatory remarks against PM Modi. The party urged the Election Commission to mandate apologies from both Raut and Thackeray to the Prime Minister and the people of Gujarat.
Raut's reported remarks to the press, highlighting PM Modi's birthplace and invoking historical figures, were met with condemnation from the BJP, which interpreted them as an affront not only to PM Modi but also to Maharashtra's dignity.
Similarly, the BJP called for action against Anitha Radhakrishnan, seeking an apology from him for his disparaging comments against PM Modi. Additionally, the party urged the Election Commission to impose a ban on Radhakrishnan's campaigning activities and to initiate legal proceedings against him.
Radhakrishnan's remarks, which insinuated ulterior motives behind PM Modi's inauguration of projects honoring national icons like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Kamarajar, as well as his comments on PM Modi's address in Salem, Tamil Nadu, were deemed inflammatory and disrespectful by the BJP.
