EC notice to Union Minister Anurag Thakur over controversial remark
New Delhi, Jan 28: The Election Commission (EC) issued a show-cause notice to Union minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday for his "desh ke gaddaro ko" slogan at a poll meeting here, saying prima facie the remarks had the "potential of disturbing communal harmony" and the BJP MP had violated the election code and electoral law.
Thakur has been asked to respond to the notice before 12 noon on January 30 (Thursday), "failing which the commission shall take a decision without any reference to you".
In the show-cause notice, the EC referred to section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, dealing with attempts to promote enmity or hatred between different classes of citizens on the grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language.
The notice also said the EC received a report from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Tuesday, which said Thakur chanted "desh ke gaddaro ko" and the crowd responded, saying "goli maro sa*** ko" (shoot down the traitors) several times, while addressing a public meeting in Delhi's Rithala Assembly constituency on Monday.
It said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also made "certain other objectionable statements" at the meeting.
The Delhi CEO Office on Tuesday said it had submitted a report to the EC on the "provocative" language used by Thakur while canvassing for BJP candidates contesting the February 8 Delhi Assembly polls.
At the Rithala rally, the MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh had egged on the crowd to raise an incendiary slogan -- "shoot the traitors" -- after lashing out at anti-CAA protesters.
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
