Sevaliya (Kheda District, Gujarat), Dec. 7: An under attack Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was at his Hindutva best at an election rally here today, when he charged the Congress-led UPA Government of wantonly dishonouring and bypassing the Supreme Court on issues of national sentiment and interest.

Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-organised rally here, Modi, who has been pilloried in the media, legal, political and official circles for controversially justifying the encounter killing of alleged terrorist Sohrabuddin Sheikh in November 2005, said that the Congress Party, and particularly its President Sonia Gandhi, had no right to question his credibility as a political leader and Chief Minister, when they themselves were violating the orders of the Supreme Court at will.

He asked participants at the rally as to why the Congress-ruled Government at the Centre had not implemented the orders of the apex court in carrying out the death sentence of Parliament Attack case convict Afzal Guru. He also asked why the Centre was silent on a court order relating to the Ram temple issue, and demanded to know as to what right the allies of the ruling combine -- M. K. Karunanidhi and Buddhadev Bhattacharya -- had to question the authenticity of Lord Ram.

He summed up by saying that the Congress party and the UPA Government were deliberately being contemptuous of the apex court, and needed to be reigned in immediately to prevent political catastrophe and a collapse of the system in the near future.

Modi's tirade came even as the Supreme Court said that it would hear a petition against his justification of the encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh on December 10 (Monday).

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has issued a notice to Modi for violating the model code of conduct.

The three-member Election Commission has asked Modi to submit his reply by 11 a. m. Saturday.

The Commission took the decision after considering various inputs and the complaint filed by Teesta Setalvad alleging that Modi's speech on December 4 at Mangrol in connection with an election campaign amounted to an open exhortation to violence and misuse of religion for political ends.

The Commission also viewed the video recording of the speech.

The Commission prima-facie is of the view that the references to late Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism by Modi in his speech amounts to indulging in activity which would involve violation of the provisions of the model code of conduct.

The Commission says that these observations may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between different communities. (ANI)