The Election Commission on Thursday rapped Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's justification of the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and held prima facie that his remarks amounted to indulging in activities which could aggravate communal hatred and tension.Serving a notice to Modi, the EC has asked him to give his reply by Saturday morning."The Commission, prima facie, is of the view that the references to late Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism, made in the speech, amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between different communities," the EC said.The Commission said his speech would involve violations of the Model Code of Conduct which bars any party or candidate from indulging in any activity which might aggravate hatred and tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes," the EC said quoting the Model Code of Conduct.The notice was issued after the full Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy considered the various inputs and the complaint and has viewed the video recording of the speech, the EC said.The EC told the Chief Minister that his campaign speech at Mangrol on December four has come to its notice and a complaint has also been filed by Teesta Setalvad alleging that the speech amounted to an open exhortation to violence and misuse of religion for political ends.In the public meeting, Modi had said Sohrabuddin had got what he deserved. Sonia provoked me, says Modi Kapalvad, Gujarat, December.6:After his hard line talk sparked an outrage, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress president Sonia Gandhi provoked him to rake up Hindutva during the poll campaign and asserted that ‘he was and will be a law abiding citizen’.Modi also said it is his democratic duty to tell the truth to people and asserted that hostile reactions to his statements on Sohrabuddin reeked of ‘pseudo secularism’."I will reply to whatever issues the Congress raises and will speak in the same language and I have a right to defend himself," Modi told a TV channel onboard his specially customised vehicle in the midst of his campaign for the two-phase elections.Modi said his poll agenda was only to raise developmental issues but was compelled to play the Hindutva card when Sonia called him ‘Merchant of death’.The Chief Minister's justification of the Sohrabuddin fake enconter killing had provoked angry condemnations from the Left and the Congress and social activists amid demands that Modi be booked for his controversial utterances.Modi said there was no issue about police encounters but what needed to be debated is the issue of ‘fake police encounters’."I do not justify fake police encounters," he added.
