BJP moves EC against Ananthamurthy for anti-Modi campaign

The BJP today moved the Election Commission seeking action against Jnanpith awardee U R Ananthamurthy for making personal attacks on Narendra Modi and campaigning for the Congress.

"Ananthamurthy is currently the Chancellor of a Central University at Gulbarga; it is not fair on part of an individual who is holding Chancellor's position to campaign on behalf of a political party," BJP said in its petition to Chief Electoral officer Anil Kumar Jha.

Calling it a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct, it said this also amounts to abuse of Chancellor's position.

Ananthamurthy was "speaking like congress spokesperson", it said taking a dig at him for "misusing" freedom of speech by making personal attacks on Modi. BJP asked for suspension of Ananthamurthy from the Chancellor's position and legal action against him.

The party said Ananthamurthy had called Modi communal who is on his way to divide the nation in the name of religion. It said the writer had also threatened to leave the country if Modi becomes the Prime Minister.

The petition was submitted by party joint spokesperson Malavika Avinash, state legal cell Convenor Vinod Kumar and Media Cell Convenor S Prakash.

Ananthamurthy and another Jnanpith award winner Girish Karnad have been at loggerheads with BJP and Sangh Parivar and both were joined by some Kannada writers last week in attacking Modi and speaking against his becoming Prime Minister.