EC clean chit to PM Modi on his 'nuclear button for Diwali' remark at Barmer in Rajasthan

The Election Commission on Thursday said there was no violation of Model Code of Conduct in 'nuclear button for Diwali' remark made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an election rally. 

PM Modi made the remark at an election rally in Barmer in Rajasthan on April 21 while asserting that India is no more afraid of Pakistan's nuclear threats.

"India has stopped getting scared of Pakistan's threats, I have done right, no? Else every other day they(Pakistan) used to say 'we have nuclear button'....What do we have then? Have we kept it (nuclear button) for Diwali?" the prime minister told the gathering.

Barmer district poll authorities has on Monday submitted a factual report to the poll panel after the Congress alleged that he violated the Model Code of Conduct “brazenly” by talking about the armed forces.

Congress had moved the Election Commission on April 22 alleging that the Prime Minister’s speeches invoked the armed forces, demanding the officials to impose a campaign ban on him for some time.

This is the third straight clean chit given to PM Modi on opposition's complaint of poll code violation. 

On Wednesday, the Election Commission had said that PM Modi's call to first-time voters to dedicate their votes to Pulwama martyrs was not violative of its advisory on invoking armed forces. 

Addressing a rally in Ausa of Latur in Maharashtra on April 9, PM Modi had urged young voters to cast ballots in the name of heroes of the Balakot air strike.

On Tuesday, the poll panel had given clean chit to PM Modi for his speech in Wardha in which he had slammed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for contesting from Wayanad and had "indicated" that the Kerala constituency had more voters from the minority community. 

 The PM, while addressing a rally in Wardha on April 1, had reportedly said, the opposition party was "scared" to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority dominates. 

He made the remark in reference to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from a second Lok Sabha seat Wayanad in Kerala. Rahul Gandhi is also contesting from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.