The Election Commission on Sunday has slapped a notice to the Uttarakhand BJP for tweeting a morphed image of the former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, in which he was shown as a Muslim cleric.
In its notice to the state BJP Unit, the Commission asked to reply within 24 hours on the charges of violation of Model Code of Conduct. The action was taken after the Congress complained to the poll body on Friday, alleging that the BJP Uttarakhand from its official Twitter handle on February 3 tweeted a morphed image of Rawat, wherein he has been falsely depicted as belonging to a particular community.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala also spoke to the CEC and sought registration of FIR against the state BJP unit claiming it violated MCC by creating disharmony on religious grounds between people of diverse faith.
The Commission is of the considered view that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Uttarakhand has made statements that are provocative and can seriously incite the emotions that could lead to breakdown of law and order situation, the Commission stated in its notice.
“Now, therefore, the Commission gives an opportunity to the BJP Uttarakhand to explain its stand on putting the morphed image of Shri Harish Rawat on its official Twitter handle as alleged by AICC,” the Commission said.
The explanation, the EC said, should reach the Commission within 24 hours of receipt of this notice, failing which the Commission shall take appropriate decision in the matter without further reference to BJP Uttarakhand.