"To hell with it, we will speak whatever comes to our mind," said the Shiv Sena leader.
In a controversial statement, senior Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut openly challenged the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in place. "To hell with it, we will speak whatever comes to our mind," said the Shiv Sena leader.
Speaking at a Ram Navami function on Sunday, Raut, who is a Sena hardliner and executive editor of party organ Saamna, said they were constantly being reminded of issues like the law and the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections.
"For one, we do not abide by the law... We are such people that bhad me gaya kanoon (let the law go to hell). We will also see what is to be done with the model code of conduct. If what is in our minds, in our hearts, is not expressed, we fell very stifled," added Raut.
He went on to say that his blood boils when someone tries to "intimidate" him with the model code of conduct.
"When someone repeatedly tries to intimidate us with the law and the MCC, then our blood boils. This is how we are and we cannot do anything about it," said Raut.
He went to the extent of saying, "Plus, we do not care much about laws."
However, the Shiv Sena leader sought to downplay the issue saying that such things happen during elections. "It is okay. Sometimes it happens when we are on the dais," Raut said.
He said that he makes more mistakes when he is constantly told to abide by the laws of MCC.
Earlier this month, the Sena leader was issued a notice by the Mumbai district collector for allegedly violating the model code of conduct over his comments against Communist Party of India's candidate Kanhaiya Kumar.
Sanjay Raut, the editor of Sena's mouthpiece Saamana, said in the editorial that Kanhaiya Kumar must be defeated in the upcoming elections, even if it needed the BJP to "tamper with EVMs".
— With inputs from agencies
INTIMIDATING?
- Raut said that his blood boils when someone tries to “intimidate” him with the MCC
- He said that he makes more mistakes when he is constantly told to abide by the laws of MCC
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 "Sanjay Raut")
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