Thiruvananthapuram
CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has written to the Election Commission (ECI) demanding action against Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur for allegedly inciting hatred against a specific community. Yechury said in his letter that if the ECI does not act, people may lose faith in its ability to conduct free and fair elections.
Yechury noted that previous Election Commissions had taken strict action against those making incendiary communal speeches, and urged the ECI to do the same with Thakur. He referenced a video where Thakur, a BJP star campaigner, allegedly made inflammatory remarks and disregarded the Representation of People Act and the Model Code of Conduct.
Yechury claimed that BJP leaders are increasingly using anti-Muslim rhetoric to create false impressions and incite hatred. He criticized the ECI for not taking suo moto action, suggesting that the ECI often acts only after receiving multiple complaints from political parties and civil society groups. He pointed out that the ECI sent a notice to the BJP President but did not issue one to PM Modi, who had been accused of similar violations.
Yechury urged the ECI to issue a notice to Anurag Thakur and the BJP President for the inflammatory speech and to take swift action to maintain the integrity of the election process. He warned that if the ECI fails to act decisively, public trust in the commission and the electoral process could be severely damaged.
