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Updated: Apr 17, 2019 14:36 IST

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to state BJP’s Himachal Pradesh president Satpal Singh Satti for violating the model code of conduct, a day after he allegedly used an expletive against All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi.

Chief electoral officer Devesh Kumar said, “Himachal Pradesh BJP president Satpal Singh Satti was served a notice for violating the model code of conduct.”

Kumar said an FIR under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the BJP president in Baddi. Satpal Singh Satti has been asked to reply within 24 hours from the receipt of the notice.

Members of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on Tuesday staged a protest against BJP state chief Satpal Singh Satti, for making derogatory remarks against Rahul Gandhi, outside the DC office.

HPCC members raised slogans against Satti and raised slogans against him. They demanded that the BJP high command sack Satti from his post.

However, BJP denied the allegation and claimed that the Congress is misguiding the people by tampering with the facts through video-editing. Congress has also lodged an FIR against Satti and has already filed a complaint with the state election commission.

Read | Violations pile up a day after EC gag on leaders

Earlier, HPCC had demanded a public apology from the BJP and Satti. A video was shared on social media where Satti can be seen using explicit terms against the AICC president during a public meeting in Solan Legislative Assembly.

Meanwhile, BJP has filed an FIR against the Congress party and its leader for making threats, criminal intimidation, instigating physical violence and for other electoral offences. BJP has also filed a complaint to the Election Commission against Congress for criminalisation of politics in the state.

Another video has been circulating on social media, where Congress worker, Vinay Sharma, who was additional advocate general during Congress’ regime, was seen issuing threats of bodily harm and instigating people to cut Satti’s tongue by offering a reward of Rs 10 lakh for the same.

BJP spokesperson Randhir Sharma said, “The truth is that the party chief was narrating a post that had gone viral on social media in which some people had used derogatory terms. He was reading the post and advising party workers to be patient while commenting about any political leader but the Congress has shamelessly used only a small portion of the video.”

He also claimed that the BJP had a recording of the public meeting in question and can prover that the Congress is conspiring against the BJP.

BJP general secretary Chandra Mohan Thakur claimed the Congress had become directionless. He said, “It is shameful that the Congress party and its leaders are stooping low and resorting to tactics of pressure and threat.”