Lok Sabha Election 2024: BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of making false claim about 'rise in poverty', files complaint with EC

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is making a false claim about the rise in poverty in the country and urged the Election Commission to take “strict action” against him.

Lodging a complaint with the poll panel, the BJP also accused Gandhi of continuing to create a North-South divide in the country on the basis of language and region to vitiate the poll atmosphere.

A BJP delegation comprising its national general secretary Tarun Chugh and party's national media department in-charge Anil Baluni approached the EC, accusing Gandhi of running a false propaganda against the BJP amid the Lok Sabha elections.

“Rahul Gandhi is running a false campaign that 20 crore more people have become poor in the country while he doesn't have any evidence to back his claim,” Chugh told reporters after the BJP delegation lodged a complaint against the Congress leader with the EC.

He said that the Niti Aayog in its report has said that nearly 25 crore people have come out of the below poverty line during 10 years of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in the country.

“The Election Commission assured us of taking strict action (against Gandhi) in this connection,” he added.

The BJP leader also alleged that the Congress has hatched a “disgusting conspiracy” to create a divide between North and South on the basis of language and region.

“We have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Rahul Gandhi in this connection. We told EC that he is a serial and habitual offender of spreading lies, hatching conspiracy and creating confusion. While the country is progressing, Rahul Gandhi is talking about dividing the country on the lines of language and region,” he said.

Chugh asserted that the BJP respects all the languages and it is proud of Tamil language.

“In our (Lok Sabha poll) manifesto, we have reiterated our commitment towards the promotion of Tamil language. But Rahul Gandhi’s actions are disgusting and they have potential to put the country’s internal security in danger,” he told reporters.

“We filed a written complaint with the Election Commission in this connection and also gave links of his speeches, demanding strict action against him,” he added.