
The Election Commission on Friday advised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to be more careful in his utterances in future after he stirred a controversy for calling the Indian Army “Modiji ki Sena”.
The poll watchdog’s remarks came a day after the BJP leader was served a showcause notice. The EC had asked Adityanath to file a reply by April 5. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer had sought a transcript of the speech Adityanath delivered at a rally in Ghaziabad on March 31.
While referring to developments after the Pulwama attack, Adityanath had said during a rally that while the Congress used to feed biryani to terrorists, PM Narendra Modi’s Army gives bullets and bombs to terrorists.
“Congress ke log atankwadiyon ko biryani khilate thhay, aur Modiji ki Sena atankwadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai. Yahi antar hai. Congress ke log Azhar Masood jaise atankwadiyon ke saath ‘ji’ laga karke atankwad ko protsahit karti hai. Aur Modiji ke netritva mein, aaj aatankwad ko, unke thikano ko nasht aur dhwast karke aatankwad ki hi nahi, Pakistan ki kamar todne ka kaam Bharatiya Janata Party ki sarkar kar rahi hai (Members of the Congress used to feed biryani to terrorists while Modiji’s army gives bullets and bombs to terrorists. This is the difference. People of Congress encouraged terrorism by using ‘ji’ to address terrorists such as Azhar Masood. Under Modiji’s leadership, the BJP government is not only destroying the locations of terrorists but also breaking Pakistan’s back),” Adityanath had said at the rally on March 31.
His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Opposition. Former Navy Chief L Ramdas had also complained to the EC.