FILE: K Chandrashekar Rao. TOI

HYDERABAD: After finding Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao prima facie guilty for anti-Hindu remarks, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday served a notice to him.

The notice was served for Rao's alleged derogatory remarks during a recent election rally by ECI’s principal secretary SK Rudola based on the complaint filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad state president M Rama Raju.

The commission has issued notices after examining the speech of KCR and found prima facie the statement has the potential of disturbing the harmony and aggravating the existing differences between social and religious communities. The commission said KCR has violated the provision of Model Code of Conduct.

ECI asked the chief minister to explain his conduct by 5.00pm on April 12 failing which the commission will take a decision without any further reference.

In the notice, ECI said, "The complainant stated that TRS president and star campaigner K Chandrasekhar Rao have tried to secure votes by passing derogatory remarks ‘EE Hindu gallu, Bondhu Gallu, Dikkumalina...Daridrapu Gallu and Desham Lo Aggi pettale and Gattar Levale” (remarks against Hindu forces trying to create unrest in the country) against Hindus while addressing an election rally at Karimnagar on March 17 2019.”

KCR has said, "This country is suffering in the hands of Hindu gallu (Gadu is a derogatory term addressed to a person and gallu is plural; and Bondhu Gallu and Daridrapugallu - Daridram means poverty.)"

ECI has obtained the English version of the speech delivered on March 17 and a factual report from the chief electoral officer of Telangana.

Interestingly, chief electoral officer of Telangana Dr Rajat Kumar earlier said that the speech is not derogatory and he had submitted a report to ECI.

As per Model Code of conduct, no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may create mutual hatred or caste tensions between different case and communities, religious and linguistic groups. It prohibits appealing to communal feelings for security votes.

