PM Modi's remarks were vehemently panned by the opposition as "boastful." (PTI)
Highlights
- Have nuclear weapons, don't care about Pak threats, PM Modi had said
- His remarks were vehemently criticized by the opposition
- This the third Election Commission clean chit to PM Modi in three days
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a clean chit by the Election Commission today - his third in three days - for his comment that India too has nuclear weapons and does not care about Pakistan's threats. The comment, the Election Commission said, does not violate the Model Code of Conduct - a set of dos and don'ts for political parties and the government ahead of elections.
Highlighting the party's national security theme at a rally in Rajasthan's Barmer, the Prime Minister had jeered at Pakistan.
"India has quit the policy of being scared of Pakistani threats... Else, every other day they announced, 'We have nuclear button, we have nuclear button'. So what do we have then? Are those being saved for Diwali?" he had said.
His remarks were vehemently panned by the opposition, which said it was "boastful" and "irresponsible".
The Congress's Anand Sharma said such statements "point to the growing desperation" of the BJP. "Prime Minister's boastful claims of being ready for a nuclear missile attack on Pakistan and US intervention are uncalled for and not in interest of national security," he tweeted.
The Election Commission was asked by the Supreme Court today to expedite their decision on the pending complaints against PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. The court has given it time till Monday.
The Congress, whose appeal was being heard by the top court, has contended that altogether, 11 complaints are pending against the Prime Minister and Mr Shah. The Commission, which resolved the third complaint today, has eight more to go.
The Commission has asked for time till Wednesday, saying it has its hands full with conducting the elections and complaints against other leaders, but the court refused a larger window.