'Modi violating model code by using Lord Ram issue': Yechury moves EC

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making statements which were allegedly violative of the Model Code of Conduct during his Lok Sabha poll campaign in various parts of the country.

Yechury said that he has given a complaint in this regard to the Election Commission listing out the statements made by Modi allegedly "aimed at sharpening communal polarisation on the issue of Ram".

The veteran CPI(M) leader was speaking to the media in this north Kerala district where he also criticised the Congress and the UDF for accusing the Left front of not opposing Modi and the BJP.

He said that it was "strange" that the Congress and the UDF were accusing the LDF, particularly the CPI(M), of being silent on attacking Modi.

Yechury said that he was one of the first political leaders to be arrested for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Left party was the one which moved a habeas corpus plea in the Supreme Court against alleged detention of politicians in Kashmir after Article 370 was abrogated and the CPI(M) was also the first to oppose the electoral bonds in the top court.

He said that in all these issues and various others, it was the CPI(M) which was at the front opposing the saffron party and questioned "in all these instances where were those who charge us with not opposing the BJP".

Yechury's statement came in the wake of the social media campaign against CPI(M)'s Vatakara LS candidate K K Shailaja.

Terming the campaign against her as "virulent and obscene", he said that it indicates that she has won the election.

Yechury also urged the Congress to introspect as many of their leaders have left the party to join the BJP.

"But they attack us by saying that we are not anti-Modi. So, let us talk on the basis of facts and substance and not on the basis of personal attacks," he said.

The Marxist veteran further said that decorum needs to be maintained by all during political campaigning.

"My only appeal to everybody concerned is to definitely criticise, campaign against and attack our political position and policies, but do not go to such lengths as to telling untruths and conducting personal attacks. Let us maintain the decorum of the campaign," he said.

An activist of Congress-ally Indian Union Muslim League has been booked by police for allegedly making objectionable remarks on social media platforms against Shailaja.

The CPI(M) has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Congress candidate from Vatakara Shafi Parambil, alleging that the cyber attack on Shailaja was being carried out with his knowledge.

The Congress rubbished the charges of malicious campaigning against Shailaja by UDF activists and had said the ruling party was trying to cook up stories as the election campaign was nearing the final stage.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in Kerala on April 26 and the results will be declared on June 4.

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