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. But, the protest against the Election Commission has been slamed by Congress and other opposition parties as unjustified.
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.
The criticism against Election Commission was led by Narendra Modi Modi himself, who tweeted that Election Commission is not concerned about the institution's neutrality. That is why BJP workers have to embark on a Satyagraha,” he said.
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.
He said the main Opposition party should not diminish the Commission by challenging its authority. Responding to BJP's charge that the present Commission is the weakest one, Chidambaram said the poll body's work should be just measured by the way it is conducting free and fair polls.
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. He said that Modi's Ganga Arti matter is only a gimmick for political gains.
JD(U) 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.
Yadav said it is the duty of all the political parties to strengthen the constitutional body. 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.
