Panauti jibe at PM: EC asks Rahul Gandhi to be more careful in public speeches

The Election Commission issued an advisory to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to be more careful in his public utterances, sources said Wednesday.

The EC had issued a notice to Gandhi for his “panuati” (bad omen) and “jebkatare” (pickpocket) jibes at PM Narendra Modi during Rajasthan Assembly polls campaign in November last year. Hearing a PIL, Delhi HC had asked the EC in December to decide the matter “expeditiously”, after the petitioner sought action against Gandhi. EC issued notices to Gandhi on November 23, giving him 2 days to respond. The HC said since deadline for his reply had passed and no reply was received, the EC should “decide the matter as expeditiously as possible, preferably within 8 weeks”. According to sources, EC has now issued an advisory to Gandhi.