Panauti jibe at PM Modi: Election Commission asks Rahul Gandhi to be more careful in public utterances

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued an advisory to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi following a review of the circumstances surrounding certain remarks made against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Election Commission on Wednesday urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to exercise greater caution in his public statements following his "panuti" (bad omen) and "pickpocket" remarks directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to a directive from the Delhi High Court issued last December, the electoral body has instructed Gandhi to adhere diligently to its recent advisory for star campaigners and political leaders during election campaigns.

In its advisory dated March 1, the Election Commission (EC) warned that parties, candidates, and star campaigners could face severe consequences, rather than mere moral censure, for any violations of the Model Code of Conduct.

It also emphasized that star campaigners and candidates who had previously received notices would face strict action for repeated breaches of the model code.

Last year, the EC had issued a notice to Gandhi after he used terms like "panauti" and "pickpocket" in reference to the prime minister.

Following a directive from the Delhi High Court on December 21 to address the notice issued to Gandhi for his remarks, the commission was prompted to act. The court deemed the Congress leader's statement made during a speech in November 2023 as "not in good taste."

In response to the court's directive, the EC has advised Gandhi "to be more careful and cautious in his public utterances in the future," according to a PTI report.

"After considering all facts in the matter related to remarks such as 'jebkatra' (pickpocket) and 'pannauti', including the court order and Gandhi's reply, the Election Commission has advised Gandhi to be more careful and cautious in future," a source was quoted as saying in the report.

The commission has additionally instructed Gandhi, as a star campaigner, to heed its March 1 advisory aimed at all parties, star campaigners, and candidates, with due seriousness when making public statements.

The poll panel had issued a notice to Gandhi on November 23, soliciting his response regarding his speeches made during his campaign for the assembly elections in Rajasthan.

The former Congress president, during his election speech, took a jab at Modi, accusing the prime minister of diverting people's attention while industrialist Gautam Adani allegedly exploited them. He likened this behavior to that of pickpockets.

The court's decision followed a petition that also objected to Gandhi's reference to the prime minister as "panauti," a Hindi slang loosely meaning someone who brings bad luck.