'Khooni Panja' used only figuratively, Modi tells EC

The Congress had complained to the Commission, which had got a copy of the video CD of Modi's speech of November 7 in Dongargarh Rajnandgaon of Chhattisgarh along with the remarks of the Returning Officer before the notice was served on the BJP prime ministerial candidate.

Modi while campaigning in Chhattisgarh had said, "When Atal Behari Vajpayee formed Chhattisgarh, whose hands did it first go into...Do you want such a "khooni panja" gain... Brothers and sisters, don't commit that mistake again. Even by mistake, don't ever let Chhattisgarh go into the hands of a 'Zalim Panja'."

"Whereas, it has been, prima facie, observed that by making the aforesaid statements, you have violated the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct," the EC notice had said.

(With PTI inputs)