The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking action against Rahul Gandhi after the Congress leader's 'panauti' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PTI reported.
On Tuesday, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out at Rahul Gandhi and demanded an apology from the Congress leader for making objectionable remarks against the Prime Minister.
BJP termed Rahul Gandhi's comments as "shameful and disgraceful" and said that they would make this a serious issue if he didn't apologise.
BJP seeks action Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge
A party delegation, which included its general secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal and another functionary Om Pathak, also sought the poll watchdog's action against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, accusing him of falsely claiming that Modi's caste was included in Gujarat's OBC list when he was the state chief minister.
The Ghanchi caste, a community traditionally employed in oil pressing, was included in the OBC list in 1999 while Modi became chief minister in 2001, Pathak said.
"We request the Election Commission to intervene urgently by taking appropriate legal action against Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for their continued fraudulent, baseless and abusive practice and to pass a prohibitory order against them," the BJP delegation said in its communication to the EC.
Otherwise, it will spoil the electoral environment, where "abusing, usage of objectionable and offensive language to defame respectable individuals and spreading false news will become inevitable", it added.
PM means Panauti Modi, says Rahul Gandhi
Addressing a rally in Balotra in Rajasthan ahead of the November 25 assembly polls, Gandhi referred to India's loss to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad Sunday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the stands.
He alleged Modi diverts people's attention while industrialist Adani picks their pockets.
He said Modi "comes on TV and says 'Hindu-Muslim' and sometimes goes to a cricket match. It is a different matter that the match was lost. Panauti."
"PM means Panauti Modi," Gandhi said.
A Hindi slang, panauti loosely refers to someone who brings bad luck.
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