Yogi, Maya, Azam, Maneka face limited ban for controversial remarks

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 15

The Election Commission on Monday censured Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP supremo Mayawati, SP leader Azam Khan and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for controversial remarks for the violation of Model Code of Conduct starting Tuesday.

Read: SC to examine ‘toothless’ EC’s power to deal with hate speech during polls

All leaders face a limited ban on holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, road shows, interviews and public utterances in media in the current elections.

Read Election Commission's orders here and here

While Adityanath was barred for 72 hours starting at 6.00 am on April 16, Mayawati has been barred for 48 hours starting on the same day and same time, separate EC orders said.

The commission later barred Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and Union minister Maneka Gandhi from campaigning for their controversial remarks

Khan faces a 72-hour ban and Gandhi faces a 48-hour ban, both beginning at 10 am on Tuesday.

Mayawati was issued the notice for her speech at Deoband on April 7 appealing to Muslims to not vote for a particular party. The BSP chief had prima facie violated the model code of conduct, the poll panel found.

Adityanath was served the notice for his “Ali” and “Bajrang Bali” remarks while addressing a rally in Meerut.

He compared the Lok Sabha elections to a contest between ‘Ali’, a revered figure in Islam, and Bajrang Bali, the Hindu god Hanuman.

Khan was under the poll panel's lens for making derogatory remarks against BJP candidate from Rampur, Jaya Prada.

She said when she was campaigning at Sultanpur  that if Muslims do not vote for her, they should not expect her to give them jobs.

 "My feelings get hurt. If Muslims then come to me asking for work, then I will think let it be, how does it matter? After all, a job is a deal," making it clear that Muslims should not expect jobs if they don't vote for her. With agency inputs