Election Commission issues show cause notice to Azam Khan

The EC notice pointed to various sections of the Model Code which say “no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate the existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic”. 

Khan was also reminded that parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of the parties and that there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. 

Political parties, including BJP, Congress, JD (U), slammed Khan for the comments and wanted action by the EC but his party reacted cautiously, saying it could be a reflection of some dissatisfaction over “unfulfilled aspirations”. 

Khan dragged the Kargil conflict into the ongoing high-voltage Lok Sabha campaign at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Monday.

“Those who fought for victory in Kargil were not Hindu soldiers. In fact, the ones who fought for our victory were Muslim soldiers,” he said in a speech.