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Modi’s comment about ‘Pakistan hand’ in Gujarat elections draws fire

Published

9 years ago

December 11, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Some ridiculed it as fanciful, some sat up, alarmed at the seriousness of it, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging Pakistan is trying to influence Gujarat election results and linking Congress to it evoked widespread reactions – expectedly, even from across the border.

Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said instead of trying to drag Pakistan in electoral debate, victories should be won on own strength rather than ‘fabricated conspiracies’.

“India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible,” he said on Twitter.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad responded and, without referring to Modi’s conspiracy theory, said, “We are very proud of India’s democracy and totally condemn this unwarranted statement from Pakistan. I wish to tell Pakistan that Indians are capable of contesting India’s democracy on their own… India’s Prime Minister is a popularly elected PM… and so is the BJP.”

“Completely abhor outside interference in India’s internal affairs. Pakistan’s promotion of terrorism in India is well known but Pakistan must stop giving us lessons, we are proud of our democracy. Condemn this unwarranted statement,” Prasad said.

But even BJP ally Janata Dal (U) found Modi’s charge farfetched. Pavan Verma of JD(U) said the PM’s allegation on Pakistani interference “is taking it a little too far.”

BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha also said it was ‘incredible’, saying in a tweet, “Hon’ble Sir! Just to win elections anyhow, and that too at the fag end of the process, is it a must to come up with & endorse new, unsubstantiated & unbelievable stories everyday against political opponents?”

On Sunday, Modi had referred to a tweet posted by a former Pakistani army officer that Ahmed Patel, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary, be named chief ministerial candidate for Gujarat polls. Modi alleged that this showed that Pakistan was showing ‘undue’ interest in the election.

To buttress the theory, he linked the ‘neech (lowly)’ comment of suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for him to a ‘secret meeting’ hosted the previous day by Aiyar and attended by a Pakistani official.

Modi said, “A Pakistan delegation meets at Mani Shankar’s house and the next day he disrespects Gujarat’s society, its pachat (backward) society, its poor and Modi. Don’t all these things raise questions and concern?”

He added, “…(Aiyar) held a meeting for three hours, and then the next day, Mani Shankar calls Modi ‘neech’. This is a serious and sensitive issue. Also, what is the reason for such a secret meeting amidst Gujarat elections?”

There was no ‘secret’ meeting as alleged by Modi. In fact, The Indian Express (IE) reported, Aiyar had sent out invitations a month ago for a dinner at his place on Dec 6. The meeting was held during Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s visit to India. Kasuri was foreign affairs minister during Pervez Musharraf’s tenure and played a key role in drafting the initiatives on Kashmir at the time.

The invitees at the meet included: former Indian Army chief Deepak Kapoor, former foreign minister K Natwar Singh, and former diplomats Salman Haidar, TCA Raghavan, Sharat Sabharwal, K Shankar Bajpai and Chinmaya Gharekhan — Bajpai, Raghavan and Sabharwal had served as Indian High Commissioners to Pakistan — former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari, said the IE report.

Modi’s remark followed his earlier comments about ‘Mughlai culture’ of Congress leaders and names of various Muslim rulers of the past for would-be Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Roping in Pakistan was taking this attempt to another level.

The Congress said Modi’s statement was ‘based on lies’ and an attempt to whip up emotions and to polarise. “Holding the country’s topmost post, Modiji is making baseless allegations. Modiji is worried, dejected, angry. Such a statement has no truth or fact, and is based on lies. Such a behaviour is unbecoming of a prime minister,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Sunday.

The Congress said there was nothing secret about the event and said it was’unwarranted and irresponsible’ of the PM to give the event a sinister twist.

Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said, “The former PM and VP were merely attending a social function in which high (level) dignitaries were present and it was not a secret meeting.”

“(At the event) former chief of Army was present, former Indian high commissioners to Pakistan, distinguished diplomats of this country, eminent journalists they were all present and the PM gives it a sinister and sensationalist twist?” said Sharma.

He said the manner in which the PM accused a former VP of India and a former PM, of doing something which was improper is ‘highly irresponsible, unwarranted and condemnable’.

“It’s clear he (Mod) has made these comments with the intent to confuse and mislead people ahead of the 2nd phase of Gujarat elections…to whip up emotions and to polarise, there can’t be any other explanation and there can’t be anything more reprehensible than what he’s done,” said Sharma.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRVBNJTIwaGFzJTIwc2FpZCUyMENvbmdyZXNzJTIwaXMlMjBjb25zcGlyaW5nJTIwd2l0aCUyMFBha2lzdGFuJTIwZm9yJTIwR3VqYXJhdCUyMGVsZWN0aW9ucy5JdHMlMjBvdXRyYWdlb3VzLiUyMFRoaXMlMjBpcyUyMGp1c3QlMjBhbiUyMGF0dGVtcHQlMjB0byUyMHBvbGFyaXplJTIwYWhlYWQlMjBvZiUyMHNlY29uZCUyMHBoYXNlJTIwb2YlMjB2b3RpbmcuVGhpcyUyMGFsc28lMjBzaG93cyUyMGhpcyUyMGRlc3BlcmF0aW9uJTIwYW5kJTIwdGhhdCUyMEJKUCUyNiUyMzM5JTNCcyUyMGxvc3MlMjBpcyUyMG5vdyUyMGd1YXJhbnRlZWQlM0ElMjBBbmFuZCUyMFNoYXJtYSUyQ0NvbmdyZXNzJTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnQuY28lMkYxQXgycXhEenZOJTIyJTNFcGljLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGMUF4MnF4RHp2TiUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZwJTNFJTI2bWRhc2glM0IlMjBBTkklMjAlMjglNDBBTkklMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZBTkklMkZzdGF0dXMlMkY5NDAxMTI5OTUxNjE1NTQ5NDQlM0ZyZWZfc3JjJTNEdHdzcmMlMjU1RXRmdyUyMiUzRURlY2VtYmVyJTIwMTElMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBB[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Rahul Gandhi also took a dig at Modi at a speech in Gujarat on Monday: “The elections are in Gujarat and Modi talks sometimes about Japan, Pakistan, Afghanistan. Modi ji, it’s Gujarat elections, do talk a bit about Gujarat, too.”

Hitting out at Modi, the Congress said it was the BJP that was colluding with Pakistan. It said the Modi government gave Pakistani intelligence officials access to the country’s air force base in Pathankot after a terror attack there.

“If he wants to fight the Gujarat elections in Pakistan, I want to ask who invited people from the (Pakistani intelligence agency) ISI to come to one of India’s most important defence bases in Pathankot? At that time, (BJP president) Amit Shah said, ‘we have faith in Pakistan investigating the role of attackers form their soil’. And, Modi ji, you are asking us questions about Pakistan?” asked Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

A team of Pakistani officials, including an official from ISI, were given access to the Pathankot airbase in March 2016, purportedly to help Pakistan complete its investigation into the Pathankot terror attack in January last year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Hardeep Singh Puri set to win Rajya Sabha bypoll unopposed

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is set to be elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh after the returning officer rejected the nomination papers of two independent candidates.

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is set to enter the Rajya Sabha unopposed from Madhya Pradesh after the nomination papers of two independent candidates were rejected during scrutiny on Tuesday.

The two candidates whose nominations were rejected were Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, the latter being backed by the Congress. Their rejection leaves Puri as the only candidate in the contest for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat.

According to an official, the result will be announced on November 5, which is also the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

The Returning Officer, Umesh Sharma, examined the nomination papers on the last day of scrutiny and rejected the two independent candidates’ applications.

Objections raised against Hardeep Puri’s nomination

The nomination papers submitted by Puri also faced objections from the two independent candidates and Congress leader Hemant Katare.

They questioned the validity and completeness of Puri’s affidavit filed in Form 26, raising concerns over whether the mandatory details had been properly furnished.

However, after examining the objections, Returning Officer Umesh Sharma concluded that Puri had not violated any requirements under the Representation of the People Act.

Sharma stated in his order that no defect had been found in Puri’s nomination papers that could justify their rejection.

Following the decision, Katare and Congress MLA Atif Aqeel announced that they would approach the court against the order.

Calling the decision an attack on Indian democracy, the Congress leaders said in a statement that Puri’s nomination should have been rejected despite what they described as significant errors.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Union Minister L Murugan, which left a Rajya Sabha seat vacant in Madhya Pradesh.

With the nomination papers of both independent candidates rejected and Puri’s nomination cleared, the Union minister is set to be elected unopposed.

The final announcement is expected on November 5, the last day for withdrawal of nominations.

India News

Yogi Adityanath announces free LPG cylinders on Diwali and Holi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced one free LPG cylinder each on Diwali and Holi for eligible Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries. The state has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for LPG refill subsidies covering more than 1.89 crore beneficiaries.

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that eligible families covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will receive one free LPG cylinder each on Diwali and Holi.

The announcement came as the Chief Minister participated in a programme organised for distributing LPG refill subsidies to more than 1.89 crore beneficiaries across the state.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for providing subsidies on LPG cylinder refills to eligible families under the scheme.

Addressing the gathering, Adityanath explained the cost of a domestic LPG cylinder and the subsidy provided by the Centre.

“The price of one domestic gas cylinder is Rs 983.45, and out of this, the Government of India provides a subsidy of Rs 335. You have to spend Rs 648.55 from your own pocket,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the state government had decided to provide one cylinder to poor families covered under the Ujjwala scheme on Diwali and Holi.

“With the money you save, you can buy Diwali sweets and lamps,” he said.

Yogi Adityanath targets previous Congress government

During his address, Adityanath also compared the availability of LPG connections under the present government with the situation during the Congress government’s tenure.

He said people previously faced several difficulties in obtaining a single gas connection, while the present government had provided free gas connections to poor families.

The Chief Minister described the initiative as an example of good governance.

Yogi Adityanath on Ayodhya’s Deepotsav

Earlier on Tuesday, Adityanath described Ayodhya’s Deepotsav, scheduled for November 7, as a symbol of social unity.

In a post on X, he said the festival brought together people from different sections of society through shared faith and cultural participation.

He also referred to the Deepotsav tradition initiated by the state government in 2017, saying it had transformed Ayodhya’s cultural heritage into a celebration involving people from different walks of life.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Ayodhya to review preparations for the event.

India News

Election Commission clarifies Form 6 rules for existing voters under SIR

The Election Commission has clarified that voters previously enrolled in electoral rolls can submit Form 6 for inclusion if their names are missing from draft lists published during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Published

1 day ago

November 3, 2026

APNLive Desk

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that voters whose names appeared in earlier electoral rolls but are missing from draft lists published during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can submit Form 6 to seek inclusion in the final electoral roll.

In a communication issued on November 3 to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and Union Territories, the poll body addressed concerns among previously registered voters who were hesitant to submit the form because of the declaration required alongside it.

The Commission clarified that submitting Form 6 in such circumstances would not, by itself, amount to making a false declaration merely because the applicant had been enrolled as a voter previously.

It also stated that no action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, would be initiated against such applicants solely on the ground of their previous enrolment.

However, this protection applies provided the applicant is not already registered in another Parliamentary or Assembly constituency and the declaration submitted is otherwise in accordance with the law.

Why existing voters were hesitant to submit Form 6

The clarification follows concerns that some previously enrolled voters were reluctant to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll after finding their names missing from the draft lists published during the SIR exercise.

Form 6 requires applicants to furnish a declaration stating that their names are being included in the electoral roll for the first time.

This created apprehensions among previously registered voters, who feared that submitting the form despite their earlier enrolment could be treated as a false declaration and expose them to prosecution under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

The Election Commission has now clarified that earlier registration does not prevent an eligible voter from submitting Form 6 again when their name does not appear in the draft electoral roll.

Election Commission refers to Delhi High Court order

In its communication, the Commission also referred to the Delhi High Court’s October 14 order in the case of Nilotpal Datta and another versus the Election Commission of India and others.

The case concerned an applicant who had previously been enrolled as a voter but was apprehensive about submitting Form 6 because of the declaration that the name was being included in the electoral roll for the first time.

The High Court observed that the petitioners’ apprehension was misplaced and allowed them to submit Form 6, if they wished, for processing in accordance with the law.

The Election Commission’s latest clarification is in line with this judicial observation.

EC asks states and UTs to publicise clarification

The poll body has asked Chief Electoral Officers across all states and Union Territories to ensure that the clarification reaches concerned voters.

It has also requested officials to publicise the information widely through available media platforms and in local languages so that eligible voters are aware of the procedure for seeking inclusion in the electoral roll.

The clarification comes amid ongoing concerns and legal challenges surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the process of re-enrolling voters whose names do not appear in draft lists.