New Delhi, 08 April (H.S.):

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks at an election rally in Assam's Nilambazar. In a seven-page submission, the BJP accused Kharge, who also serves as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, of delivering statements that incite religious and political tensions ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.

The complaint alleges that Kharge told a Muslim audience: If a poisonous snake appears during namaz, it should be killed—even the Quran permits interrupting prayer for that. RSS and BJP are such poisonous snakes; if you don't eliminate them, you won't survive. The BJP claims this exploits Muslim voters' religious sentiments for electoral gain, justifies violence against political rivals by invoking the Quran, fosters dangerous communal divides, and directly promotes violence.

The party described the speech as a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct and a serious offense under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It has demanded an investigation into Kharge and the Congress party, along with appropriate action.

Separately, Assam BJP leaders have filed police complaints at Basistha station in Guwahati and with state authorities, terming the remarks hate speech capable of disturbing public tranquility.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar