EC avoiding action against PM Modi for MCC violation; will move Bombay HC: Prithviraj Chavan

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congressman Prithviraj Chavan alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct in 2020, but the State Election Commission has been evasive in taking any action on the complaint.

While the commission acknowledged a violation, it only issued a warning to the Railway administration without acting against Modi.

"When strict action was taken against former late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, why is Narendra Modi being spared? No one is above the law," said Chavan, adding that he would approach the Bombay High Court regarding the matter.

Chavan, a former Minister of State in the PMO during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, elaborated that on December 28, 2020, during the Gram Panchayat elections in Maharashtra and the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Prime Minister Modi, along with the then Railway and Agriculture Ministers, flagged off the 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola (Solapur district) to Shalimar (West Bengal). The event was broadcast nationwide on TV, and no prior permission had been taken from the Election Commission or the district administration.

A party worker, Prafull Kadam, filed a complaint, but the commission initially delayed action. Eventually, it acknowledged the code of conduct violation but only cautioned the Railway Administration, sparing Modi.

Chavan emphasized that this was a clear breach of the law and accused the authorities of shielding Modi.

Prafull Kadam, the complainant, had submitted detailed evidence of the violation in accordance with all rules and laws. He contended that the event was an attempt to influence voters and a blatant breach of the Model Code of Conduct, demanding that Modi's Lok Sabha membership be revoked.