Overview
- The Election Commission issued a 24-hour show-cause on Wednesday, saying Kharge’s “terrorist” line likely breached the Model Code that bars personal attacks on constitutional officeholders.
- The notice followed a BJP complaint led by ministers Kiren Rijiju, Nirmala Sitharaman and Arjun Ram Meghwal that sought strict action and a public apology.
- Congress filed a summary reply on Thursday and asked for one week and an in-person hearing to submit a detailed defense.
- Kharge said on Friday the party had already replied and that he meant Modi was “terrorising” rivals through agencies, not that he is a terrorist.
- Congress also points to a withdrawn EC notice that first listed TMC’s Derek O’Brien as a complainant before a corrected version kept only Rijiju, using the error to allege bias.