EC issues show-cause notice to Priyanka Gandhi for 'unverified' statements against PM Modi
New Delhi, Nov 14: The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for allegedly making unverified and false statements with regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Acting on a complaint made by the BJP that she had made "false" and "unverified" statements against Prime Minister Modi at an election rally in Madhya Pradesh recently, the poll panel asked her to explain her statements by 8 pm on Thursday.
In its representation to the poll panel, the BJP had accused Priyanka Gandhi of making a "baseless and false" claim that the Narendra Modi government had privatised public sector undertakings (PSUs).
She had purportedly alleged that Prime Minister Modi had given away PSU BHEL to his industrialist friends.
"Whereas, public generally believes that the statements made by the senior leader that too of a star campaigner of a national party are true, it is expected that such a leader is privy to and possesses factual base of the statements made by him/her. You must have verified the facts as stated so as to not leave any possibility of misleading the voters," the poll panel told the Congress leader.
The notice also recalled that the poll panel had recently expressed serious concern over "plummeting level" of public discourse and had advised all political parties to maintain dignity in electoral campaigning, desist from transgressing the limits of decency and refrain from attacks on the personal character and conduct of political rivals as they can vitiate the level-playing field.
This is the second EC notice issued to Priyanka Gandhi in the ongoing assembly polls in five states.
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Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
