Case filed against Amit Shah; EC probes

A case has been registered against Narendra Modi's close aide and in-charge of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Amit Shah, for his alleged remarks that the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls are “an opportunity to take revenge for the insult” that was last year's communal riots in Muzaffarnagar.

According to sources, a case of violation of the Model Code of Conduct was registered at the Kotwali police station in UP’s Bijnore district on Sunday. “We have registered a case on the report of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bijnore. The matter is being investigated,” said a senior police official.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) is examining the controversial remarks, even as it faced fresh calls on Sunday from the Congress to ban him from campaigning in UP.
Poll authorities in UP sent the CD of the remarks made by Shah in Muzaffarnagar, along with the report of district election officer, to the Nirvachan Sadan—the EC headquarters in New Delhi.

Sources said the chief electoral officer of UP had on Saturday taken cognisance of the remarks and sought the CD, along with a detailed report from the district authorities.
Shah is not a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.

The EC is likely to take a call on the issue at its meeting on Monday, said the sources.
“It is a question of honour for us. The elections have given you an opportunity to take revenge for the insult inflicted on us. Those who had committed injustice must be taught a lesson,” Shah had reportedly told members of the “Jat” community at a meeting on Thursday.

Cong backlash

Coming down heavily on the BJP over Shah's comments, the Congress on Sunday accused the saffron party of dividing communities and seeking votes on communal lines.

“Shah’s rank communal remark shows the BJP does not understand the idea of India, and its agenda is to divide communities and get votes. It is the only agenda of this communal party of India,” said party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi in New Delhi.