Will never forget April 30, my first FIR: Narendra Modi

Tirupati: Narendra Modi has said he will forever remember the date April 30, 2014 because that was the day an FIR was lodged against him, the first ever in his life.

At a rally in Tirupati last evening, Modi said: "In my entire life, not even a single FIR has been registered against me, not even for driving a scooter on the wrong side or for wrong parking. Suddenly today when I landed here I came to know that an FIR has been registered against me... I will never forget April 30."

The Gujarat police on Wednesday filed an FIR against the state's chief minister on the order of the Election Commission. The poll body wanted Modi booked for violation of the model code of conduct. Modi had flashed the party symbol in a selfie of his inked finger and then gave a speech while voting was on.  

After voting yesterday at the Ranip polling station in Ahmedabad, Modi spoke to the waiting media holding up the party symbol. This was deemed as campaigning while elections were on in the country in the seventh phase.

"It is evident from Modi's tone and tenor that he made a political speech. He intended, calculated to influence voting today," the Election Commission observed.

Modi said on Wednesday evening, "If someone is threatened with a knife an FIR is lodged, all I did was show everyone a lotus." He also said the FIR showed "how shaken the Congress is."

The Congress jumped on Modi's case soon after the press interaction. Spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed accused Modi of being "a serial offender."

The BJP has argued the speech was not an organised press conference. The Crime Branch has been tasked to determine if that is correct.