Hours after a high-level BJP delegation petitioned the Election Commission over Mallikarjun Kharge’s “terrorist” remark against PM Narendra Modi, the poll body took a serious note of the matter and issued a show-cause notice to the Congress chief, asking for a response in 24 hours.”The EC has taken a serious note of the Congress president calling PM Modi a ‘terrorist’ and has issued a stern notice to him, asking him to explain his stand within 24 hours,” an EC official said.A BJP delegation — consisting of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal — met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar earlier on Wednesday and complained against Kharge demanding penal action under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita.“We are hurt, anguished and outraged. With a very heavy heart, we met the EC today and demanded strictest possible action against the Congress president. While the EC will take its call, we pledge to eradicate every single terrorist under the leadership of PM Modi,” Rijiju said.He recalled Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s “Maut ka saudagar” reference for Modi in 2007 to say, “Congress leaders have made it a habit to call PM names, but they crossed all limits of decency this time.”The BJP had on Tuesday lodged a formal complaint with the poll body against Kharge. The complaint by Rijiju said, “We have filed a strong complaint against Kharge for his shocking and disgraceful remark, calling PM Modi a ‘terrorist’. This is not just derogatory, it is a dangerous and unprecedented attack on democratic institutions. A blatant violation of the model code of conduct. Immediate action is non-negotiable.”Rijiju sought an immediate public apology from Kharge and urged the poll body to initiate suitable proceedings under relevant sections of the BNS, mainly under Sections 175 and 356(1), with Section 175, addressing false statements about a candidate’s character and Section 356(1) concerning defamation.”Direct immediate cessation of further dissemination of the impugned statement and also direct media and social media to take it down,” the BJP had urged the EC.The controversy arose on the last day of the Tamil Nadu election campaign on April 21 after Kharge, highlighting Opposition unity in defeating the Delimitation Bill linked to the Women’s Reservation Bill, criticised the AIADMK for supporting the BJP, and allegedly labelled Modi a “terrorist who does not believe in equality”.