The Election Commission has sent a notice to DMK leader Udhaynidhi Stalin over his recent remarks on late BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. EC has asked Udhayanidhi to reply by 5 pm on Wednesday.
Udhayanidhi, son of DMK president and grandson of Tamil Nadu’s tall leader late M Karunanidhi, recently sparked a row by saying that Swaraj and Jaitley died as they were “unable to tolerate the pressure and torture” given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day Tamil Nadu went to polls, EC asked the DMK leader to explain his statement. The EC has said if Udhayanidhi fails to explain his remarks, “the Commission shall take a decision without any further reference to you”. The notice said the Commission received a complaint from the BJP on April 2 alleging that Udhayanithi Stalin, while addressing a political gathering in Dharapuram on March 31, made a statement that “the former Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley died unable to tolerate the pressure and torture given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
In its notice, the poll panel said that parties and candidates should refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. The EC also said that criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.
Udhayanidhi, also an actor-producer, is contesting from DMK stronghold of Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, the Assembly constituency which was represented by Karunanidhi thrice from 1996 to 2011 before he shifted to Thiruvarur.
