Congress defends Rahul over hate speech

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday defended Rahul Gandhi for his reported remark that 22,000 people will be killed if the BJP comes to power, saying it has been "torn out of context" and "wrongly reported". The strong defence came a day after Election Commission sought an explanation from the party vice-president over his alleged remarks.

"We have heard about it and there is a notice from the EC. You can be rest assured that the facts are being torn out of context and are wrongly reported," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said. "We shall set the record comprehensively straight in our reply."

The poll panel on Friday slapped a notice to Rahul for his remark in Solan in Himachal Pradesh on May 1.

The BJP had moved the EC against Rahul and provided the commission with CD of his speech and newspaper clippings.

According to the EC notice, Rahul had reportedly said: "People from Japan ask me...they say we are scared over one issue. We will help you, we will prepare roads. But we are scared whether there will be peace ... they say whether people of India will fight with each other?

"This fear is there in our lives as well. If there is BJP, there will be violence. If there is BJP, 22,000 people will die, because they spread anger...this question was never raised before."

The commission has sought Rahul's response by May 12.