BJP continued its allegations against the Election Commission. Party leader Narendra Modi today accused the Election Commission of of bias against him and working under pressure. He also took out a roadshow in Varanasi defying prohibitory orders.
Capping an acrimonious day, Modi landed at the Banaras Hindu University campus helipad, near the venue of the party protests and held an undeclared 5 kilometer roadshow to the main BJP election office in Sigra, where a large number police and Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed.
Addressing a rally on the outskirts of Varanasi, he said the Commission is working under pressure but did not elaborate. He said the Commission should do introspection.
Earlier, BJP today staged a protest in both Varanasi and Delhi against denial of permission for Narendra Modi's rally in the busy Benia Bagh area in the temple city.
Top BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah and Ananth Kumar sat on a dharna outside the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi protesting against the refusal and the alleged partisan approach of the returning officer Pranjal Yadav.
In Delhi, workers sought to protest outside the Election Commission but the Delhi Police stopped them a short distance away while imposing prohibitory orders in the area. Party leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad took out a protest march to the headquarters of the Election Commission.
Later, a delegation of six BJP leaders led by Naidu, met Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and demanded the immediate transfer of Varanasi's Returning Officer. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Naidu said the Commission assured the delegation that it will examine the matter.
Congress today took on BJP for criticising Election Commisssion. Talking to media in New Delhi, Party leader P Chidambaram said that BJP's protest against the Commission shows its desperation.
Amid the controversy of Narendra Modi's rally being denied permission in Varanasi, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal alleged that Modi is trying to draw political mileage in garb of the 'Ganga Arti' prayers.
Kejriwal said Election Commission's permission is required for political activities and not for offering prayers. When the Election Commission has granted permission to Modi, why doesn't he just go and perform arti instead of politicising it, he asked.
Samajwati Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has termed BJP leader Narendra Modi's for Ganga Arti programme in Varanasi as political and not religious. Addressing an election rally at Sikandarpur and Salempur of Deoria today Akhilesh Yadav said that the Banaras district administration gave permissions for Modi's programmes, that were possible under the given situation.
Janata Dal (United) termed BJP's protest against Election Commission as unjustified and unfortunate.Party leader Sharad Yadav told reporters in New Delhi that it is upto the Commission to decide whether to give permission for a rally or not. He said his party and Aam Aadmi Party were also not allowed to hold election meetings in the city earlier but they did not make it an issue.
