New Delhi: Distancing itself, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Apr 22, 2004) told the Election Commission (EC) that it had nothing to do, directly or indirectly, with the controversial Lucknow sari distribution function, which had resulted in a stampede killing 22 women.

A party delegation led by its general secretary and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met the full Election Commission to submit a detailed response to the poll panel's notice seeking an explanation whether the function amounted to "bribery" and violated the model code of conduct.

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Political Parties in India

"We briefed them about all the aspects of the incident point by point buttressed with facts. We made it clear that it was organised by a private organisation, which had done so earlier also and BJP had no direct or indirect relation with it," Naqvi told reporters after the meeting.

"No code of conduct can stop birthdays, marriages and personal celebrations. The code is applicable on political parties and not on social organisations," he said.

Party sources said in its reply BJP also cited a high court judgement on poor feeding across the country by Congress to mark the 'Shradh' of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during the 1991 Lok Sabha polls as not a violation of election laws.

BJP was issued a show cause notice by the Commission on April 16 giving it a week's time to reply. The Commission had also directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to file a criminal case of electoral bribery against BJP leader Lalji Tandon.

Asked whether the party would defend Tandon in the case registered against him, Naqvi said, "He is competent enough to defend himself."