Bihar polls: EC restrains BJP from publishing inflammatory ads

The Election Commission has restrained the BJP from releasing two of its advertisements, which it said were ‘inflammatory’.

The Election Commission has restrained the BJP from releasing two of its advertisements, which it said were ‘inflammatory’.

The BJP had earlier this week released two advertisements in vernacular print media that the EC found against the provisions of the model code of conduct.

In an oblique reference to the JD(U), one of the BJP advertisements questioned: “Voton ki kheti ke liye aatank ki fasal seechna kya sushasan hai (is it good governance to sow terror for reaping votes)?”

The other advertisement asked JD(U): “Daliton-pichhdon ki thaali kheench, alpsankhyakon ko aarakshan ka shadyantra kya sushasan hai (is it good governance to give minorities reservation by taking it away from the Dalits-backward communities)?”

Confirming the EC decision, Bihar’s additional chief electoral officer R Lakshmanan said, “The EC found the contents, tone and tenor of the advertisements as inflammatory and against the provisions of the model code. The commission has directed that these two advertisements, and similar ones, will not be allowed to be printed in any newspaper with immediate effect till the conclusion of poll process in Bihar.”

A copy of the order has also been forwarded to the secretary of Bihar’s information and public relations department and district election officers-cum-district magistrates.

The remaining two phases of the five-phase polls in 16 of 38 districts of Bihar are to be held on November 1 and 5.