EC should ban PM Modi from campaigning in Karnataka: Rajasthan CM Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday urged the Election Commission to ban Prime Minister Narendra Modi from campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka.
Speaking at a press conference here, he alleged that Modi was seeking votes on the basis of religion in the southern state. Gehlot also hit out at the BJP over an alleged threat by a party candidate in the Karnataka polls to wipe out Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his family.
"The Election Commission should ban Prime Minister Modi from campaigning," the Rajasthan chief minister said at a press conference here while responding to a question.
"Read the law... if someone talks in the name of religion, on religious grounds in an election campaign, a ban should be imposed," he added.
The Karnataka Assembly election is scheduled for May 10, and counting of votes will take place on May 13.
Asked if the Bajrang Dal will be banned in Rajasthan, Gehlot said, "Whatever may be the name of an organisation... the real question is what is the role of that organisation."
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He was reacting to the controversy surrounding the Congress manifesto talking about taking decisive action as per law, including imposing a ban on organisations such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Bajrang Dal.
In its manifesto for the Karnataka polls, the Congress said it was committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the PFI for "spreading hatred" among communities on grounds of caste and religion.
The action will include a "ban" against such organisations, the party has promised.
Gehlot added that the BJP has failed to polarise Karnataka, and that inflation and unemployment are the real issues for the people.
He also hit out at the party for the threat to Kharge's life, and said that the fear of defeat is troubling the BJP in Karnataka.
"During the election campaign in Karnataka, I have understood the sentiments of the people and I am sure that the departure of the BJP from Karnataka is certain," Gehlot later tweeted.
State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara, who was also present at the press conference, criticised the BJP over the threat to Kharge.
Earlier, sharing an audio clip on Twitter, Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed that the BJP's candidate from the Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, Manikanta Rathod, has hatched an assassination plot against Kharge and his family.
Rathod has rejected the allegation, saying it is a fake audio.
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Woman, daughter escape rhino attack during safari in Kaziranga; driver suspended
Kaziranga (Assam), Jan 6: A woman and her daughter had a close shave in Assam's Kaziranga National Park (KNP) when they fell off a safari vehicle with rhinos in close proximity, an official said on Monday.
The driver was suspended and an enquiry was ordered, DFO and Deputy Director of the KNP Arun Vignesh said.
The incident happened when the driver accelerated and took a sharp turn after seeing two rhinos nearby, he said adding that action will be taken on the basis of the enquiry report.
Vignesh appealed to the safari vehicle drivers to be careful while driving inside the Park.
The girl fell from the open vehicle while they were taking a safari inside the Bagori range of the KNP and her mother jumped out to pick her up, the official said.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, two rhinos were seen nearby when the incident happened. PTI, however, could not verify the authenticity of the video.
The driver, however, stopped the vehicle at a distance and the two climbed into it again, the official said.
The two were not injured, except for a few scratches, and were taken for medical aid as they were in a state of shock for a while.
The two were from the nearby Harmoti area in Nagaon district.
The official pointed out that both the drivers of the jeeps and tourists should be careful while taking a safari inside the KNP.
He urged all tourists to follow the rules strictly.
President of Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association Mohen Saikia that such an incident has never occurred before in the history of the Park and it is the ''lack of training and experience of a section of young drivers''.
He urged the authorities to arrange for proper training of the drivers.
Meanwhile, another person was injured in a rhino attack in Burapahar range of the Park when he had gone to help forest guards in some work.
The person, identified as Lakhi Teron, was admitted to a hospital and his condition was stated to be critical, a forest official said.
The KNP is a UNESCO World Heritage site which is home to nearly 3,000 greater one-horn rhinoceros.
The Park also has wild buffalo, elephants, swamp deer and tigers.
📍Assam | #Watch: Major accident during safari in Kaziranga averted as mother and daughter fall in front of rhinos, escape unscathed#Viral pic.twitter.com/AHa64faan0
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 6, 2025
