Narendra Modi had displayed the BJP symbol and taken a selfie at a polling booth in Gandhinagar
, who was booked in Gujarat for violation of electoral laws, on Wednesday night said no FIR has ever been lodged against him in his entire life and asserted that he will never forget this day.
The 63-year-old BJP prime ministerial candidate also said that the FIR showed how shaken the Congress is, observing it was facing defeat and was worried that "a person who (once) eked out his livelihood by selling tea" was challenging it. (Also Read:
Congress complains to Election Commission against Narendra Modi)
Addressing a campaign rally in Tirupati, Mr Modi said he has not committed any offence that warranted an FIR and that he only showed a lotus badge to people. Lotus is the symbol of the BJP.
"To date in my entire life, not even a single FIR has been 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," he said. (
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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," he said.
The Congress was staring at defeat and "the Delhi government" was worried that a person who eked out his livelihood by selling tea was challenging them, he added.
Stoking a huge controversy earlier in the day, Mr Modi displayed the BJP symbol and made a speech in a polling booth in Gandhinagar in violation of electoral laws, following which
police filed an FIR against him. (
Narendra Modi takes a selfie after voting in Ahmedabad)
The police action came after the Election Commission took serious note of the Gujarat Chief Minister's violation of electoral laws, under which no person can display any election matter or address a meeting in a polling booth on the day of election, and ordered filing of an FIR against Modi. (
Modi intended to influence voters, says furious Election Commission)