*NEW DELHI – Top BJP leader and *
Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath created a furore by referring to the armedforces as *Modiji ki Sena*, or PM Modi’s Army.
The Election Commission sought an explanation from him on the mattertoday. He has been told to respond to the poll body’s notice by April 5.
Yogi Adityanath had made the controversial remark at a rally in GhaziabadlinkonSunday. “Congress people used to serve terrorists *biryani*, but Modiji’s* Sena* (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Army) gives them only bullets andbombs.
That’s the difference. Congress people use “ji” for terrorists like MasoodAzhar, but under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP government is breakingthe backs of terrorists by striking their camps,” he said.
The comment was not received well by opposition leaders and former armyofficials, who maintained that apolitical entities such as the armed forcesshould not be dragged into electoral politics. “It is shocking to hear theUttar Pradesh Chief Minister referring to the Indian Army as the ‘Modi*Sena*’.
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Such blatant usurping of our beloved Indian Army is an insult and ahumiliation,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi demanded an apology from YogiAdityanath. “This is an insult to our armed forces.
They are India’s Armed Forces, not the Prachar Mantri’s private army.Adityanath must apologise,” the Congress leader tweeted. Prachar is theHindi term for propaganda.
