New Delhi: Opposition on Sunday accused Prime Minister of Narendra Modi He shed “crocodile tears” over the women’s quota and stepped up attacks on him for delivering “political speeches disguised as addresses to the nation”. Highlighting the Prime Minister’s 29-minute “vicious rant” against the opposition on Doordarshan, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: “How can the Prime Minister use this platform funded by taxpayers’ money to further his political agenda when the Model Code of Conduct is in force… How can the EC fail to recognize the use of government machinery for purely political purposes?” CPM general secretary MA Baby, in a complaint to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, said there was a “gross violation” of the Model Code of Conduct. “The content, tone and message of the speech can never be termed as government communication. It is a blatantly political statement directed at the Opposition… and an attempt to influence public opinion, including voters in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal,” he said. CPI’s Rajya Sabha MP Sandosh Kumar P also wrote to the CEC seeking a probe.
