In an unprecedented warning issued to both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, the Election Commission has asserted that India's socio-cultural milieu cannot be made a casualty to elections.
The poll body rejected the defence of BJP president J.P. Nadda and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and asked them to instruct their parties’ star campaigners to desist from campaigning along caste, community, language, and religious lines.
The commission had last month issued notices to Nadda on opposition charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a divisive speech in Rajasthan's Banswara. A similar notice had been issued to Kharge, too, based on the complaints filed by the BJP against him and the main opposition party's senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding their remarks.
"Elections are periodic exercises, they come and go, but political parties like yours endure; even more enduring preserve is India's socio-cultural milieu; political parties are in the task of nurturing leaders for the country for present and future,” the Commission said.
It further observed that the parties cannot afford to be lax in any manner in enforcing discipline and conduct among the cadre in the high stake electoral space; especially with reference to senior members.
The EC asked the presidents of the two national parties to issue formal notes to their star campaigners to correct their discourse, exercise care and maintain decorum.