Congress has approached the Election Commission demanding action against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal for his "bribe" remarks at an election rally in Delhi on Sunday.
"It's election time. When people from BJP and Congress come offering money, don't refuse, accept ... some have looted money from 2G, some have looted money from coal scam. Take money from both the parties but vote for AAP," Kejriwal had said at a rally in Uttam Nagar.
Congress secretary and legal cell department in-charge KC Mittal has written to Chief Election Commissioner HS Brahma and Election Commissioner SNA Zaidi stating that Kejriwal has "maligned" the electoral process by publicly asking voters to accept bribe, according to PTI report.
"By making such a statement, he has deliberately and intentionally instigated the public to take bribe for voting and has thereby abated the offence of bribery during the electoral process," Mittal said in his complaint.
"The language used is also defamatory and cast serious aspersions on the fair conduct of elections by the authorities and public at large. This statement made by him is also in clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct. It is totally derogatory and scandalising," the complaint said.
Mittal said that the electoral body should also take criminal action against Kejriwal as he has "maligned" the democratic institution and its process.
"This statement cannot simply be described as irresponsible; it needs to be viewed with utmost seriousness and gravity. Criminal action must be taken against him for the purity of electoral process," Congress secretary said.
Kejriwal not only asked the voters gathered at the rally to accept votes from the opposition parties but also urged them to go to the party office and ask for bribe. "And if any party does not show up, go to its office and take the amount saying we were waiting but you didn't come," Kejriwal had said.
All the major parties have either started campaigning or planning their campaign rallies for the 7 February assembly election in the national capital.
