The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday warned Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi over his 'Modi ki Sena' comment, asking him to desist from using references to security forces for political propaganda and to be careful in future.

"Whereas, the District Election Officer, Rampur had issued a show cause notice ... to Sh Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India, for violation of certain provisions of Model Code of Conduct by making references to the Defence Forces during a public meeting held on 03.04.2019 in Rampur," the ECI order referring to Naqvi said.

"The Commission has carefully gone through the contents and averments made in the aforesaid letter dated 08 April 2019, of Sh Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, wherein he has inter-alia accepted using words "Modi ki Sena"," it added.

The ECI stated in its order that "the Commission has again seen the video recording of Naqvi's speech and is convinced that the statement made by him are not in line with the spirit of the Commission's multiple advisories to the political parties/campaigners/candidates, to desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of the Defence Forces."

This came after Naqvi was purportedly heard making "Modi ki Sena" comment at a rally in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.

"Ab dikkat yeh hui ki Congress party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party sab chilaane lage ki bhai yeh jo Modi ji ne ghus ghus kar, Modiji ki sena ne ghus ghus kar ke aatankwaadiyo ko tabaah kiyaa uskaa saboot to dikhaa do' (But the problem is that the Congress, SP and BSP started demanding proof of the attack carried out by 'Modiji ki Sena')," Naqvi was heard purportedly saying in a video.

The ECI has barred Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan from election campaigning for a limited time period for their alleged controversial comments during poll rallies.

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