Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday said his party has appealed to the Election Commission to bar Prime Minister Narendra Modi from campaigning for 48 to 72 hours for repeatedly violating the Model Code of Conduct.
“Today after casting his vote, the prime minister took out a long procession and delivered a speech,” he told reporter, according to ANI. “There has never been such a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct, he is a habitual offender. We appealed to the Election Commission to bar him from contesting for 48 to 72 hours.”
Modi had said after casting his vote in Ahmedabad that a voter ID is more powerful than an IED, or improvised explosive device). “The weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is voter’s ID,” he said, according to the Hindustan Times. “I can say with surety that the voter’s ID is much much more powerful than an IED, so we should understand the strength of our voter IDs.”
“Like one feels pure after a holy dip during the Kumbh, I feel pure after casting vote in this festival of democracy,” the prime minister added. He also showed his inked finger and acknowledged the people gathered outside the polling booth.
The Model Code of Conduct came into force on March 10, the day the poll panel announced election dates. The 2019 General Elections are being held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, and the results will be declared on May 23.
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