Chennai, May 8 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on Wednesday filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue notice and call for an explanation from the Prime Minister for his election campaign speeches.

A summer vacation bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices A.D. Jagadish Chandira and R. Kalaimathi will hear the writ petition.

The writ petition said that the ECI had issued notices to the BJP on the hate speeches and not to the Prime Minister who had delivered the speeches.

Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperunthagai has in the writ petition filed through his counsel, A.P. Suryaprakasam, said the Prime Minister had in multiple election meetings made "unsavoury" remarks against Muslims.

The petitioner alleged that the BJP was attempting to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by hook or crook, and therefore, was indulging in a divisive campaign along communal lines.

The state Congress chief also said the Prime Minister had made such statements in election campaigns in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and other states.

In the petition, Selvaperunthugai also charged that the PM had initiated a false campaign against the election manifesto of the Congress party stating that the party was pushing for an inheritance tax.