New Delhi:  The Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday for his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The notice follows a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding Gandhi's comments made at an election rally in Barmer, Rajasthan.

The poll panel stated, "It is alleged that comparing a prime minister to a ‘jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and using the word ‘panauti’ is unbecoming of a very senior leader of a national political party. Further, the allegation of granting waivers of ₹14,00,000 crore for the past nine years, is asserted by the BJP, as not borne out on facts."

Gandhi has been summoned to appear before the Election Commission on November 25. The BJP's complaint highlighted Gandhi's statement during the poll rally, where he remarked, "The pickpocket never comes alone, there are three people. One comes from the front, one from the back, and one from the distance... Prime Minister Narendra Modi's job is to divert your attention. He comes on TV from the front and distracts the public by raising topics of Hindu-Muslim, demonetization, and GST. Meanwhile, Adani comes from behind and takes the money."

The BJP's complaint argued that "calling any person, for that instance, a Jaibkatra not only amounts to vicious abuse and a personal attack but also character assassination of that person against whom such a remark has been made with a clear intent to harm his reputation and mislead the public."

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