The Election Commission of India came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress on Wednesday for campaigning along caste, community, language and religion.
It has directed BJP president JP Nadda and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to issue formal notes to star campaigners to correct their discourse, exercise care and maintain decorum.
"Commission’s unprecedented orders to BJP and INC in the wake of plummeting quality of campaigning led by their star campaigners," the EC said.
The Commission has directed the BJP and its star campaigners to refrain from religious and communal overtones in campaigning. It has asked the saffron party to stop campaigning speeches that might divide the society.
Meanwhile, the grand old party has been asked to ensure that their star campaigners do not make statements that would give false impression such as the Constitution of India may be abolished or sold.
Congress star campaigners have also been asked to not politicize the defence forces and to not make potentially divise statements about the socio-economic composition of the defence forces. This was in connection to the comments on Agniveer scheme.
"India’s socio-cultural milieu is an enduring preserve cannot be made a casualty to elections, observes ECI. Big two parties not allowed to weaken the heritage of quality electoral experience of Indian voter," the poll-governing body said.
Additionally, the Election Commission has also uncovered all the allegations levelled by both the parties against each other and rejected their defences.
Pointing to extra responsibility on the party in power during election season, the poll body said that there is no unlimited extra space is there for the opposition either.
Just earlier in the day, while addressing a public meeting in Haryana's Mahendragarh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Agniveer scheme will be scrapped and thrown into dustbin if the INDIA bloc comes to power.
Slamming the BJP government, Rahul said, "This is Modi's scheme and not Army's scheme, Army does not want it".
He said that the nation's borders are secured by the country's youth and "there is patriotism in DNA of our youth". "Modi has turned Hindustan ke jawan into labourers," the Congress leader said.
Further attacking the BJP government, he said, "They say there will be two types of martyrs - one normal jawan and officer, who will get pension, martyr status, all facilities and on the other hand, a person from a poor family who has been named Agniveer. Agniveers will neither get martyr status, no pension, no canteen facility".
The Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces was brought by the Centre in 2022. The scheme aims at bringing down the age profile of the three services.
EC SOUGHT RESPONSE FROM BJP, RAHUL GANDHI LAST MONTH
Last month, the poll body had sought reply from the BJP on complaint by Congress and other opposition parties about PM Modi's speech of April 21 in Rajasthan's Banswara.
The Prime Minister had sparked controversy after making a statement at the rally, which also invited reactions from a section of people and the Congress.
He had said that Congress plans to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children", naming the Muslim community.
"This urban Naxal mindset, my mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your 'mangalsutra'. They can go to that level," PM Modi had said on Sunday, after which Congress said it would "educate" the Prime Minister about its manifesto.
The EC had also taken cognisance of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi as well.
