New Delhi:
The Election Commission on Sunday issues a show cause notice to Giriraj Singh, Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bihar's Begusarai, for violating model code of conduct for a controversial speech he made in the city on April 24. The commission also condemned his statement and asked him to be careful with his utterances during the enforcement of the model code period.
The EC said Singh has violated provisions of the model code and directions of the Supreme Court which had said that religion cannot be used while making statements during campaigning. Taking suo motu cognisance, the Begusarai district administration in Bihar had on April 25 booked Singh for violating the poll code and the Representation of the People Act by making controversial remarks against Muslims at a rally on April 24, where BJP president Amit Shah was also present.
Addressing the rally in Begusarai, Singh had said in Hindi, "Those who cannot say Vande Mataram or cannot respect the motherland, the nation will never forgive them. My ancestors died at the Simaria Ghat and did not need a grave but you need three handspans of space."
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he was barred from campaigning in Bihar and Jharkhand for communal remarks.
