Restrain PM from raising Pulwama: Cong tells EC

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked national security in his speeches, the Karnataka Congress petitioned the Election Commission on Wednesday seeking to restrain him and the BJP from making references to Pulwama, Balakot and the surgical strike during poll rallies.

The party also sought 'constitutional and penal action' against Modi.

"There is urgent need to direct the political parties particularly the BJP to restrain from making statements and speeches during the election campaign about the Pulwama attack, Balakot attack and the surgical strike, which recently took place," the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) stated in its petition to the Election Commission.

While addressing a massive rally in Chitradurga on Tuesday, Modi said: "I would like to ask the first-time voters here. Can your vote be dedicated to the heroic jawans who struck at Balakot in Pakistan?"

The KPCC pointed out that the Election Commission has restricted the use of displaying photographs of defence personnel or involve them as part of election campaigns. The party also highlighted that the Election Commission had taken a 'lenient view' of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Modi Ji ki Sena' remark.

Meanwhile, addressing a press meet in Davangere, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao sought to know why the prime minister was not asking youth to vote for him as he has created jobs for them.

"Just as all investigating agencies, the Election Commission too appears to be under the control of Modi. We won’t get justice even after making a complaint to the EC," he said.

Accusing the prime minister of "threatening Oppoistion parties through income tax raids," Dinesh challenged Modi to get an I-T raid conducted on B S Yeddyurappa, "Who had been into Operation Kamala with hundreds of crores of rupees"