The BJP has slammed Hemant Soren's comments and approached the Election Commission
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) working president Hemant Soren has stoked a huge controversy after he alleged that people wearing saffron robes were robbing honour of women, with the BJP hitting back with a complaint to the Election Commission.
Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said on Thursday the poll panel has sought a report and CD (of the speech) from Deputy Commissioners of Pakur and Sahibganj districts following the complaint lodged with it by the BJP.
Addressing an election rally in Pakur constituency on Wednesday, the former chief minister alleged "a rapist in Uttar Pradesh is resting in hospital while his victim is in jail".
"Nowadays, women are being set to fire. I got the information that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi (Adityanath) ji has been making rounds here (in Santhal Pargana)," Mr Soren said.
A video footage of Mr Soren's purported speech at the Pakur rally is being run and the BJP along with its complaint gave a pen drive of the speech to the Election Commission.
"These are BJP people who seldom marry but wearing saffron robes rob the honour of women," Mr Soren had said. "Do you want to vote for such people?" he said, asking people to vote for the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance in the fifth and final phase of polling on December 20.
Soon after Mr Soren's speech, the Jharkhand unit of the BJP in Ranchi filed a complaint with the Election Commission, demanding action against Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mr Soren in connection with the "hurtful" comments by the JMM leader.
In its letter, the BJP alleged that Soren's "inciting" speech hurt the sentiments of not only people of Jharkhand but crores of Hindus in the country. "Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi (Vadra), who was on stage had neither prevented Soren from speaking the controversial speech nor condemned it publicly," the BJP said, asking the Chief Electoral Officer to charge them for treason.
Priyanka Gandhi had addressed the rally after Mr Soren in Pakur.