New Delhi: With the general election underway in full swing, Namo sweet packets being served in Noida polling booths has created uproar, with rivals accusing the BJP of trying to influence the voting, and hence violating the poll code.

Allegations and counter-allegations being traded during elections is not uncommon. But the BJP's rivals have done in this case is to mount false charges.

Minutes before Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) MP @dr_maheshsharma cast his vote at Sec 15-A polling booth, 'Namo' brand food packets, brought in a police car, were distributed. #LokSabhaElections2019 #IndiaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/19EqTzedzj — Gulam Jeelani (@jeelanikash) April 11, 2019

The sweets being distributed have come from a shop named 'Namo Foods'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is often addressed as 'NaMo', but clearly, the 'Namo' on the food packets here doesn't stand for 'Narendra Modi'. It, however, is derived from the customary salutation — 'Namaste'.

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If saying that 'Namo' food packets are being distributed with a political intention is a lie, the fact is that there are at least two food shops in Noida — one in sector 2, another in sector 65 carrying the 'Namo' name.

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It may be just a coincidence that the name of the sweet shop matches that of the BJP's main player and that food packets are being distributed from that shop on election day. Is it, therefore, right to discriminate against a shop just because of its name?