EC cracks down on Anurag Thakur, orders BJP to remove MoS from Delhi star campaigners list

A day after sending show-cause tice to Minister of State of Finance Anurag Thakur for his call to "shoot traitors" during a poll rally in Delhi, Election Commission (EC) has on Wednesday ordered BJP to remove m from star campaigners list.  EC had in its tice said that statement by minister is prima facie "potential of disturbing communal harmony" and that he had violated election code and electoral law. Additionally, EC has also ordered BJP to remove its Lok Sabha MP Parvesh Singh Verma from a list of star campaigners after he made a shocking "protesters will rape all" claim.  

EC issues tice to Union Minister Anurag Thakur over controversial remark

Earlier,  EC had received a report from Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Tuesday, which said Thakur chanted "goli maro desh ke gaddaron ko" (shoot down traitors) several times while addressing a public meeting in Delhi's Rithala Assembly constituency on Monday.

Sharjeel Imam arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad after 4-day hunt, picture accessed

Anurag Thakur's provocative statement

In a shocking video that has surfaced on Monday, Union Finance Minister (MoS) Anurag Thakur was seen chanting inflammatory slogans in a BJP election rally in Delhi. video shows Union Minister shouting 'Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maron salon ko' (Shoot all traitors of country) while campaigning for BJP candidate for Rithala Assembly constituency - Manish Chaudhari. Incidentally, Union Minister is part of Finance team headed by Nirmala Sitharaman which will present Union Budget on February 1.

READ: BJP MP alleges 'rape' threat from Shaheen Bagh protesters, warns Delhi voters

Parvesh Verma's provocative statement

In a shocking remark on Tuesday, BJP Lok Sabha MP Parvesh Singh Verma contended that people garing at  Shaheen Bagh protests had potential to rape and kill women. Maintaining that both Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, as well as his deputy Manish Sisodia, had extended ir support to Shaheen Bagh, he warned voters in national capital to make a conscious choice in upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Moreover, he stated that neir Prime Minister Narendra Modi r Union Home Minister Amit Shah would be able to “save” people in scenario.

" people of Delhi will have to make an informed decision. se people (protesters in Shaheen Bagh) will enter your house, will kidnap your sisters and daughters and rape and kill m. Today, re is time. Tomorrow, Modiji will t come to save you. Amit Shahji will t come to save you. Today, if people of Delhi wake up, it will be good,” he had said. 

READ: MoS Finance Anurag Thakur raises 'shoot traitors' slogan at Delhi election rally