BJP lodges complaint against Priyanka Gandhi for making fraudulent remarks regarding PM Modi donating Rs 21 at temple 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, of making fraudulent assertions during her election campaign in Rajasthan by using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal religious devotion.

A complaint has been filed with the Election Commission by a BJP delegation, comprising Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Arjun Ram Meghwal, as well as party leaders Anil Baluni and Om Pathak, urging the EC to take appropriate legal action against Vadra. 

During a public gathering in Dausa on October 20, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra mentioned that she had seen on television that an envelope donated by Modi at a temple only contained Rs 21 when opened.

She clarified that she was uncertain about the veracity of the claim. Vadra went on to criticize the BJP, stating that they display “envelopes” to the public, but they are found empty after the elections. The BJP included a video of her remarks in their complaint. It is worth noting that assembly elections are scheduled to take place in Rajasthan on November 25.

According to BJP leaders Meghwal and Puri, Vadra has committed a crime, as they mentioned during their conversation with reporters. They questioned whether Priyanka Gandhi perceives herself as above the law and accused her of exploiting religious sentiments to create discord. Meghwal stressed that the allegation regarding Modi’s donation is false and has been widely covered by the media.

He also criticized Gandhi for continuously spreading falsehoods about the prime minister’s temple visit in January. The BJP filed a complaint with the EC, asserting that Gandhi’s statement violated the fundamental principles of fair elections by exploiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal religious beliefs. The party further claimed that Gandhi herself lacks awareness of the statement’s authenticity. The BJP argued that her remarks contravened the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act.

The BJP has accused Vadra of breaching the RP Act, which prohibits the dissemination of untrue statements about a candidate’s personal character, conduct, or candidacy that could negatively impact their chances of winning an election. The party has also referenced the IPC, which deems the act of disseminating false statements in connection with an election as a crime if the intention is to manipulate the outcome of the vote.

The BJP has urged the commission to take appropriate legal measures under the RPA 1951 and the Indian Penal Code, as well as immediate action to address the violation of the model code, in order to prevent the fabrication of false narratives and the spread of defamatory or religiously insensitive statements that could potentially influence the elections.

Madhupriya Dhanwate