EC slaps notice on NITI VC

New Delhi: After the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar made comments attacking the Congress over minimum income guarantee promise, the Election Commission has sent him a letter seeking an explanation of his comments on Wednesday. Rajiv Kumar has been given two days to respond to the letter by the EC, according to the report.

Kumar on Tuesday criticised the Congress over its minimum income guarantee scheme and accused the party of promising the moon to win elections. He tweeted, saying "The proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline test and execution test".

He said the Congress had promised 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971, 'One Rank One Pension' in 2008, food security in 2013 to win elections, but could not fulfil any of those. The "same unfortunate fate" awaits the populist and opportunistic promise of minimum income guarantee, he added. Sources in the poll panel said, since Kumar is part of "bureaucratic executive", such remarks may be violative of the model code. "It is not a case of one politician attacking the other or one party attacking the other," said a functionary.