Two-day campaigning ban on Himachal BJP chief Satti

Shimla, April 19 (IANS) The Election Commission (EC) on Friday barred BJP's Himachal Pradesh chief Satpal Singh Satti from campaigning for two days starting Saturday over his "indecent and derogatory" comment against Congress President Rahul Gandhi.Responding to the Congress chief's "chowkidar chor hai" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Satti on April 13 told a rally that Gandhi and his family were "thieves". He has already been booked by Baddi police under Section 294 (obscene acts and songs) of the Indian Penal Code, after the Congress complained about these comments made at a rally in Nalagarh's Ramshehar town in Solan district. The EC has also served a second notice to Satti for his indecent remarks about Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made at another rally two days later, and his reply was under consideration.At this rally, Satti said that Gandhi was not suitable for the Prime Minister's post as he had failed even in getting a daughter-in-law for his mother, Sonia Gandhi.He also made objectionable remarks about Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's dressing style and how she was trying to woo the voters.Himachal Pradesh's four Lok Sabha seats will go to the polls in the last phase on May 19.
--IANS vg/rtp/bg