The Congress will approach the Election Commission against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “graveyard and cremation ground” remark at a rally in Fatehpur on Sunday. “This is a clear violation of Election Commission’s rules... Modi has violated and insulted the oath he took as Prime Minister. I hope the Election Commission takes strict notice of this,” said party veteran and Deputy leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma.

Congress leader and head of the party’s legal cell KC Mittal also agreed with Sharma, reported NDTV. Modi on Sunday had said, “If a graveyard is made in a village, it should also have a cremation ground; if a village gets electricity during Ramzan, it should also get the same during Diwali; there should be no discrimination. If there is electricity during Holi, there should be electricity during Eid too.”

Advertisement

Modi’s comments during the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Three phases are already over, with two more remaining. This time, the election is a three-way fight between the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Apart from the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also criticised Modi for making a “communal and irresponsible” remark, reported The Times of India. While AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the comments “show that the BJP is going to badly lose the Uttar Pradesh elections, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said the remarks were “intended to divide Hindus and Muslims”.