In an update to the notice given to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for violating the model code of conduct by claiming that the Narendra Modi government has enacted a new law that allowed tribals to be shot at, Gandhi has apparently told the Election Commission that he has not violated the model code by his claim.
In his response to the show cause notice, Gandhi told the poll panel that he had tried to summarize a proposed amendment to the Indian Forest Act in a simple language during a political speech. He also added that he had no intention of misleading the people by stating unverified facts.
Reportedly, he is learned to have told the poll panel that the complaint was lodged against him to distract him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections.
For his speech in Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on April 23rd, the EC had issued the show-cause notice to Gandhi, highlighting a provision of the Model Code of Conduct that barred "unverified" allegations against political opponents on 1st May.
The notice was issued after two BJP workers had approached the EC with the complaint.
According to a broad translation of the Hindi speech available on the internet, Gandhi had alleged: "Narendra Modi government has made a new law for tribals in which there is a line that says tribals can be shot at...They snatch your land, take away your jungle and water and then say that tribals can be shot at."