Gandhinagar: The Election Commission (EC) of India on Saturday barred chief minister Narendra Modi from addressing a video conference with anganwadi workers and supervisors, scheduled at 12.30 pm.
Modi’s just-promoted additional chief secretary, K Kailashnathan, popularly known as KK in the state babudom, on instructions from the CM, is learnt to have sent special instructions to district collectors and other district officials to collect anganwadi workers and supervisors for the video conference.
The move followed after EC found that, on Modi’s instructions, KK sent emails to district officials across the state for the video conference. EC acted on a complaint by state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia, who met chief electoral officer, Gujarat state, Anita Karwal, at 10.30 am.
Modhwadia, during his representation, told the EC that KK was an IAS officer and was misusing his position to help Modi politically and this was unbecoming an official who should remain neutral following the moral code of conduct coming into force. “KK has been acting like a political agent of Modi and the BJP,” Modhwadia was quoted as saying, adding, “He should therefore be not only shunted out of the chief minister’s office, but outside Gujarat as well.”
When contacted, Modhwadia told TOI, “We caught an email KK had sent to district officials, in which he wanted them to collect anganwadi workers and supervisors for Modi’s Vivakanand Vikas Yatra, which is now a BJP programme. With facts in hand, I approached Karwal, who promptly took action against the video conference.” KK is also Gujarat’s information secretary.
Modhwadia alleged that despite the model code, KK had been preparing propaganda material for Modi, including CDs and other literature.
His colleagues say KK retires in May and is going all out to help Modi because he is scared that if the Congress comes to power, inquiries will be initiated against him which could jeopardize his post-retirement benefits.
http://epaper.timesofindia.
Modi’s just-promoted additional chief secretary, K Kailashnathan, popularly known as KK in the state babudom, on instructions from the CM, is learnt to have sent special instructions to district collectors and other district officials to collect anganwadi workers and supervisors for the video conference.
The move followed after EC found that, on Modi’s instructions, KK sent emails to district officials across the state for the video conference. EC acted on a complaint by state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia, who met chief electoral officer, Gujarat state, Anita Karwal, at 10.30 am.
Modhwadia, during his representation, told the EC that KK was an IAS officer and was misusing his position to help Modi politically and this was unbecoming an official who should remain neutral following the moral code of conduct coming into force. “KK has been acting like a political agent of Modi and the BJP,” Modhwadia was quoted as saying, adding, “He should therefore be not only shunted out of the chief minister’s office, but outside Gujarat as well.”
When contacted, Modhwadia told TOI, “We caught an email KK had sent to district officials, in which he wanted them to collect anganwadi workers and supervisors for Modi’s Vivakanand Vikas Yatra, which is now a BJP programme. With facts in hand, I approached Karwal, who promptly took action against the video conference.” KK is also Gujarat’s information secretary.
Modhwadia alleged that despite the model code, KK had been preparing propaganda material for Modi, including CDs and other literature.
His colleagues say KK retires in May and is going all out to help Modi because he is scared that if the Congress comes to power, inquiries will be initiated against him which could jeopardize his post-retirement benefits.
http://epaper.timesofindia.
