Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday censured Bharatiya Janata Party leader Giriraj Singh for his controversial `Modi-Pakistan` remarks during Lok Sabha poll campaign in Bihar.
In a statement, the poll panel said that it is convinced that the Bharatiya Janata Party leader has made "highly provocative speech which had the impact of aggravating existing differences or create mutual hatred between different communities..." and it was thus violative of a provision of the Model Code of Conduct.
The Election Commission condemned the statement made by him during election meetings at Deoghar and Bokaro in Jharkhand, and censured Giriraj Singh for misconduct. Singh, who is under fire for his controversial remark, was facing arrest over his remark that detractors of the BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will be sent to Pakistan after the elections are over.
In a relief to Giriraj Singh, Deogarh court in Jharkhand had put a stay order on his arrest till May 3.
"Those opposing Narendra Modi are looking at Pakistan, and such people will have a place in Pakistan and not in India," Singh said during a poll meeting at Mohanpur Haat Maidan near the temple town Deogarh.
Earlier, Singh`s anticipatory bail was rejected by a Jharkhand court on Monday.
The Bokaro police have been on the lookout for him for over a week. He was nowhere to be found when the police raided his home.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had distanced itself from Giriraj Singh`s `Pakistan remark` saying that it does not agree with such statements.
Despite facing criticism from his party, Singh was adamant saying that he has not said anything wrong and will stand by his comment. A Patna court, however, had granted him anticipatory bail last week.
Three FIRs were lodged against Giriraj after he said that those who were opposed to Narendra Modi were Pakistan-sympathisers and should be sent to Pakistan after the elections.
However, he will have to seek a regular bail till May 3. With agency inputs