Election Commission issues notice to BJP's Giriraj Singh for 'grave' remark

The Election Commission on Monday issued a show-cause notice to Union Minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh for his communal remarks. The notice has been issued over his controversial remarks against Muslims at a rally on April 24 in GD College, Begusarai.

According to reports, the Singh has been 24 hours to respond to the notice. The poll panel said, prima facie, the union minister violated provisions of the model code and directions of the Supreme Court which had said that religion cannot be used while making statements during campaigning.

Taking suo motu cognizance, the Begusarai district administration in Bihar had on April 25 booked Singh for violating the model code of conduct and the Representation of the People Act. 

Addressing the rally in Begusarai, Singh had said, " Who don't say Vande Mataram, can't worship motherland. My father and grandfather died by banks of Ganga and did not need a grave. But you need three-arm's-length of land. If you don't do it, the country will never forgive you."

A few days ago he said while campaigning in his constituency that political parties in the country should be prohibited from having flags which were green in colour since these resembled the emblem of Pakistan.

The firebrand BJP leader has courted controversy on a number of occasions on account of his hyper-nationalistic outbursts which also underscore his Hindutva hardline.

His comment ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that those opposed to Narendra Modi deserved to be deported to Pakistan has led to much lampooning.

His repeated assertions that Hindus are running out of patience because of the delay in the Supreme Court delivering its verdict on Ayodhya dispute has often left his own government embarrassed.