BJP chief Satti let off with warning

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 22

State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti has been let off with a mere warning for making offensive remarks against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi at an election meeting in Una district for which a notice had been issued to him on April 17.

A decision on the second notice issued to him on the directions of the Election Commission of India was taken today. A warning was issued to Satpal Satti by District Election Officer (DEO), who is DC Una. He has been asked to refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life of leaders and workers of other political parties.

The second notice was issued to Satti on April 17 for making derogatory remarks about both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka at an election meeting at Bhanjal under Ghanari tehsil in Una district on April 14. The notice was issued to him by Torul S Raveesh, IAS, who is Assistant Returning Officer for Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat at Amb in Una. He had been asked to file his reply within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice in which he had denied having made such offensive remarks.

Satti has already faced a 48-hour ban on campaigning by the ECI for using abusive language against Rahul Gandhi. As such he did not campaign on April 20 and 21. A video of Satti allegedly using abusive language against Rahul Gandhi at a public meeting in Ramshehar in Nalagarh area of Solan on April 13 had gone viral on social media. The Congress was prompt to swing into action and lodged a formal complaint with the ECI and FIR was registered against him here in the state capital.