Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged poll code violation during in-flight messaging on voter awareness, a charge rejected by civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Ramesh claimed that on a recent trip to Aizawl, he witnessed a series of announcements that included praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by a call for voting during the upcoming state elections.
“Note that there was no mention of Election Commission in this announcement — a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct,” Ramesh said in a social media post on X.
The Congress general secretary, in charge of communications, added, “Never before has any Prime Minister gone to these lengths to stay in the public eye to shore up his own flailing image, especially in the run-up to crucial elections. Clearly, there is no limit to the man's insecurities, the Civil Aviation Minister's sycophancy and the spinelessness of the airline concerned.”
Responding to Ramesh's allegations, Scindia clarified that the announcements were part of an ongoing awareness collaboration between the ministry of civil aviation and the Election Commission of India (ECI) aimed at encouraging voter participation.
He added, “Next time, simply ask @Jairam_Ramesh. The world of armchair activism could do better with fewer false alarms.”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “Next time, simply ask @Jairam_Ramesh. The world of armchair activism could do better with fewer false alarms.”
{{/usCountry}}Scindia also shared a copy of a letter from the Election Commission inviting the civil aviation ministry to participate in awareness activities to maximise voter participation in the upcoming assembly elections in five states.
“I am directed to invite the Ministry of Civil Aviation to join ECI in the endeavor of registration of new voters across the country and maximum participation of voters in the upcoming Legislative Assembly Elections in five states by including voter awareness messages as in-flight announcements by air hostesses,” the letter read.
"It is desired that SSR message is announced all over India and appeal to cast vote is announced in the flights landing in the poll bound states as mentioned above at least twice (during take off and landing)," it added.