Congress files complaint against BJP poll ads in Karnataka
Bengaluru (DNA): The Karnataka state unit of the Congress on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission demanding action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah, and state party president BS Yeddyurappa for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
The complaint filed by Congress leaders MP Rajeev Gowda, AICC member Suraj Hegde and KPCC secretary SR Mehroz Khan stated that the BJP published advertisements in leading Kanada and English newspapers as well as TV advertisements in major channels maligning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah using ‘baseless’ allegations. In one of the ads, the tag line was: “10 per cent commission Sarkara, makes Karnataka Corruption #1”. The Congress complained that it was maligning the image of the Chief Minister, ans also said that it was an ‘unfounded’ campaign under which the BJP was garnering votes.
“These advertisements allege that the government has turned Karnataka to hell and the government is responsible for breaking up the society, the death of farmers, and not stopping ‘murders of patriots’ among an array of allegations,” the complaint stated.
Apart from that, the complaint also stated that the BJP used the term ‘Siddha Sarkara’ to mock at the CM. In addition, it also stated that in the TV advertisements, the BJP used an actor to portray the CM who is shown wearing an expensive golden watch and handing expensive gifts to voters.
Calling the ads defamatory and a character assassination of CM Siddaramaiah, the Congress demanded that PM Modi, Shah and Yeddyurappa be prosecuted along with others who aided them in these ads.
The Congress also demanded that all the materials be recalled from the news outlets and demanded that an Income Tax enquiry be commissioned to find out the source of the party’s income to fuel these ads.
Following the complaint, the appellate of the Election Commission convened to hear out the complaints.
EC TO HEAR
The Congress submitted to Election Commission that BJP ads were in violation of Model Code of Conduct and was defamatory as well.