Election Commission notice to Sanjay Raut over Muslim vote remark

Raut has been given an opportunity to explain his stance before 1 pm on May 11, failing which the EC will take a decision without further reference to him.

Holding him in prima facie violation of the electoral model code of conduct for having said that Muslims should be stripped off their voting rights, the Election Commission on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Raut has been given an opportunity to explain his stance before 1 pm on May 11, failing which the EC will take a decision without further reference to him.

“Muslims in this country have no future so long as politics centers on the Muslim votes. That is why the Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray had made a demand in order to curb the trading of Muslim vote banks. Voting rights must be taken away from Muslims which is correct,” Rout is alleged to have stated in an article published in Sena mouthpiece Saamana on April 12.

“The day Muslims’ voting rights are taken away, the mask of all secularists would fall apart. That will reveal Owaisi’s sensitivity towards Muslims destitution and Muslims themselves should take lead in this. This decision should not be political but a national decision,” he has been accused of having stated.

The remarks have been found to be in violation of the model code of conduct since they were made at the time the code was in force during the bye-election to two seats in the Maharashtra assembly.

In his complaint, complainant Shakeel Qureshi of Pune alleged that the statement is prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and is likely to cause disharmony, feeling of enmity, hatred and ill-will among the citizens of India.

The complainant had also prayed the Shiv Sena’s recognition as political party be cancelled.

Source:: Indian Express