Top Vadodara-based activists ask Election Commission to begin contempt proceedings against Modi

By A Representative
Senior Vadodara-based social activists Rohit Prajapati and Trupti Shah have asked VS Sampath, chief election commissioner of India, to initiate contempt proceedings and additional actions against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who “mocked” the Election Commission's action of registering FIRs against him for violating the model code of conduct and the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 by making a public speech on April 30 in Ahmedabad, when Gujarat went on Lok Sabha polls. Prajapati heads environmental body Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, and Shah runs Sahiyar, a women’s group.
In a faxed message sent to Sampath on May 1, the activists said, “Following the FIRs filed against Modi for violation of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 after he cast his vote in Ahmedabad, instead of admitting his lapse, he chose to be blaze and made mockery of the Election Commission of India and law of the land while addressing a public rally on April 30 evening at Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh” (click HERE to read).
The activists quoted Modi at the Tirupati rally as saying, “To date in my entire life, not even a single FIR was registered against me, not even for wrong-side scooter driving, and not even for wrong parking. Suddenly today when I landed here I came to know that an FIR has been registered against me...I will never forget April 30. One can understand if someone points (threatens with) a knife, a pistol or a gun (and FIR is registered). But do you know why FIR was registered against me? Because I showed a lotus to the people.”
“Modi is defending his illegal act openly by making mockery of the serious violation and trying to make it an election issue”, the activists said, adding, “This clearly proves that Modi’s act on 30 April 2014 was deliberate and he violated knowingly and also his proclivity to undermine the law and the Constitution of India, especially when the country is voting in stages, for unfair, illegal electoral gains.” Modi addressed newspersons, even criticized his political opponents, after voting in Maninagar in Ahmedabad. The EC was particularly irked by his display of lotus, the BJP’s poll symbol.
“We have already sent you a complaint dated April 30, 2014 with the demand to initiate exemplary action against Modi – PM candidate of BJP for the violation of the model code of conduct of the Election Commission of India in Ahmedabad, Gujarat after casting his vote on April 30, 2014 by cancelling his candidature from Varanasi and Vadodara in addition to action under Section 126(2) of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951'', the activists said.
“Further, keeping in mind Modi and his defense on illegal act, we urge the Election Commission of India to take exemplary action against him and his party, more so as he aspires to the country's prime minister while flouting constitutional norms. This will repose faith of Indian citizens in the Election Commission in its ability to hold free and fair elections, without being brow beaten by anyone”, the activists insist.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog