Congress moves EC over PM's Rajiv jibe, says courts nixed charges

NEW DELHI: Congress on Monday asked the Election Commission to act against PM Narendra Modi for his "derogatory attack" on late former PM Rajiv Gandhi.
Referring to Modi's election speech two days ago in which he called Rajiv Gandhi "corrupt number 1", a Congress delegation told the EC that the Delhi high court had dismissed all the charges against the late leader as "baseless" in February 2004.
It added that the Modi government in 2018 filed an appeal against the HC order but it too was dismissed by the Supreme Court. Modi has made a "vile and malicious attempt" with "false accusations" to malign the former PM's image, the Congress told the EC.
The delegation, comprising Abhishek Singhvi, Salman Khursheed and Rajiv Shukla, said PM Modi has repeatedly violated the code of conduct in 2019 campaign and strict action should be taken against him.
Sam Pitroda, who heads the Overseas Congress, said Modi was "shaken up" by the feedback of first four phases of voting and his remarks were reflective of his "frustration". "I cannot believe that a man from Mahatma Gandhi's soil Gujarat would go to that level and make a comment on someone who died with great honour," he said.
AICC spokesman Jaiveer Shergill said the PM could not lift the standard of living in five years but had single-handedly lowered the standard of politics in the country. "Rajiv Gandhi ushered in computer revolution in the country while Modi has brought 'chai-pakoda kranti'," he mocked Modi.