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Senior Congress leader V Hanumanth Rao on Wednesday lodged a complaint against Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh for allegedly threatening voters in Bihar's Mokama assembly constituency and suggesting to "confine" a few opposition leaders in their homes.
The complaint cites a viral video, where Singh allegedly sought to prevent voters from exercising their franchise and asked party workers to "pack opposition leaders inside their homes". Rao accused Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh of attempting to violate the right to vote given by Babasaheb Ambedkar to each citizen. He stated that the BJP was attempting to win votes by committing injustices and instilling fear. "Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh has threatened to stop voters from exercising their franchise. What is this? Babasaheb Ambedkar gave voting rights to every citizen in the Constitution. They are trying to win votes by doing injustices. In Patna, a case was registered against him. Similarly, I submitted a complaint at the Amberpet police station. According to the law, they are required to take action under the relevant sections. These people are trying to gain votes through fear," V Hanumanth Rao told ANI. In his letter to the Amberpet police station Station House Office (SHO), the Congress leader urged the authorities to register a case against Rajiv Ranjan Singh for suggesting "Janata Dal (United) party workers to lock up opposition leaders ahead of the first phase of the upcoming assembly elections" and for threatening voters in Mokama. Rao said that it was a "gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)". "An official statement, issued by the district magistrate-cum returning officer of Patna, said the district administration analysed a video footage recorded by the surveillance team, and an FIR has been lodged against Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh under relevant sections of the BNS and the Representation of the People Act. I request you to register a case against the Union Minister for gross violation of the code of conduct, free and fair polls and threatening opposition voters," the letter read. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national spokesperson Priyanka Bharti earlier shared the viral video, where Lalan Singh can be heard saying, "There are a few leaders. Don't let them leave their home on election day. Keep them packed inside their home. If they plead too much, take them with you for voting, and tell them to go home after." Reacting to this, Bharti demanded that the Election Commission (EC) take action against the Union Minister. "Will you wake up from your slumber and verify the authenticity of this gentleman's video full of strongman rhetoric, and take appropriate action?" she posted on X. As this happened, the Patna administration informed that an FIR has been registered against Rajiv Ranjan Singh under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Representation of People Act (RPA). (ANI)
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