Modi’s smear-CEC campaign: Joshi, Omar stand up to say no

‘‘After all, it is the EC which will be certifying the polls in Jammu and Kashmir,’’ Abdullah told PTI. ‘‘What will be the sanctity of this autonomous body in international fora when the government of the country or ruling party members are raising fingers at its decision?’’

Modi, however, wasn’t listening.

Speaking in Mumbai, on the sidelines of the state BJP executive’s meeting here, he said: ‘‘I’m repeating what I have said earlier…five crore people of Gujarat have the right to know why James Michael Lyngdoh is applying different yardsticks for Kashmir and Gujarat.’’ He alleged there was a ‘‘conspiracy’’ in not allowing a particular political leadership to emerge.

In London, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani pitched in for Modi as well. Speaking to the BBC, Advani said there was no basis for the propaganda against Modi outside Gujarat and he was sure to be ‘‘re-elected’’, most likely with an increased majority.

The surprise of the day came in Nagpur where Joshi was inaugurating the first national convention of a newly formed organisation, Forum for Hindutva in Academic Scenario, an RSS outfit.

‘‘None holding such high positions should say such things,’’ he said, describing Modi’s reference to Lyngdoh’s religion as ‘‘improper’’. He, however, added that ‘‘even Lyngdoh shouldn’t have said that politicians do anything they want (rajneta manmani karte hai).’’ Lyngdoh, too, came out in an interview to Star News. Defending his decision, he said the attack on him was ‘‘gossip of menials who have not heard of atheism’’. He was speaking to Star News. ‘‘I have no religion, I couldn’t care less. In fact, I think that religion is responsible for many of these problems.’’

Asked whether he was sure the Commission was on firm legal ground on its order, the CEC said: ‘‘The more the criticism, the more I think it is the right decision.’’ He also dismissed speculation that the order was not unanimous, saying ‘‘I do not do karate on my colleagues.’’

Meanwhile, the Sangh Parivar kept up its attack with Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary Praveen Togadia repeating the allegation of a nexus between Sonia Gandhi and Lyngdoh. ‘‘There are two similarities between Mrs Gandhi and Mr Lyngdoh. They are Christians and both of them don’t want early elections in Gujarat,’’ he said.

The CEC, according to him, had ‘‘betrayed his anti-Hindu bias’’ earlier in a lecture delivered at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration at Mussorie in the aftermath of the anti-Christian violence in Dangs district of Gujarat in 2,000. He did not elaborate.

The VHP leader said the decision to defer polls had generated a ‘‘very strong sense of injustice’’ among the Gujaratis, who failed to understand how polls could be held in ‘‘terrorist-infested’’ Jammu and Kashmir and not in their state, which had ‘‘returned to normalcy’’.