New Delhi: The Congress on Monday moved the Election Commission against the BJP leaders for allegedly invoking religion during their campaigning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for making 'false and communally-charged' statements and the Indian envoy to Ireland for his 'political' letter published in the Irish Times.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X said that his party delegation comprising Rajiv Shukla, Supriya Shrinate, Gurdeep Sappal and others met with the Election Commission and submitted 20 complaints against the BJP and its leaders for blatant violations of the Model Code of Conduct in different states.
The opposition party hoped that the EC will take the necessary action immediately, he said.
"We have made 20 complaints. Religious sentiments are being exploited by the BJP by violating the rules of the Election Commission," Shukla told reporters after meeting the commission.
"The BJP people put up hoardings on which it is written, ‘We will bring back those who have brought Ram'....they are talking about bringing our God," he said.
Shukla claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders are spreading lies about the Congress manifesto.
He said that the misleading propaganda against the Congress manifesto should stop.
Among the 20 complaints, the Congress apprised the commission of instances of voter intimidation and booth capturing in the Ukhrul district, Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency, during phase II of polling in the ongoing elections.
"This is in addition to instances of abuse of the electoral process raised by the INC during the phase I of voting in the state of Manipur which faced outbreaks of violence and voter intimidation," the Congress said.
The Congress gave further evidence to a previous representation filed by it on April 21 against leaders of the BJP for invoking religion during their election campaigning in violation of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
According to the summary of complaints submitted with the Election Commission, the Congress sought that re-polling is conducted for some polling booths in the Tripura West parliamentary constituency due to reported instances of voter intimidation, exerting undue influence on voters and booth capturing despite the presence of security personnel deployed on election duty on the day of polling --April 19.
The Congress also filed a complaint against Ambassador of India to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, for his letter published in the Irish Times which was 'political' in nature.
"Complaint against Mr Akhilesh Mishra, Ambassador of India to Ireland, for writing a letter in the Irish Times titled 'Modi enjoys unprecedented popularity'. The letter is essentially a propaganda piece which only puts forth the achievements of the Modi government as well as 'hardships' faced by it in the form of criticism of its polarising stances and policies," the Congress said.
The party said the government servants are duty-bound to be non-partisan and, therefore, Mishra's actions are in violation of the service rules he is bound by as well as the Model Code of Conduct and other orders issued by the Election Commission.
The Congress also raised with the Election Commission the issue of 'misinformation' about the party manifesto in an attempt to create a sense of fear amongst the electorate and dissuade them to vote for it.
The party has also complained against Adityanath for making 'false statements' about the Congress in imposing the Sharia Law in the country as per its manifesto, 'in an attempt to increase attempt to invoke religious sentiments and have a larger, consolidated vote-share from particular religious communities'.
The statements are in violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Representation of the People Act and the Indian Penal Code, the party said.
The Congress also raised with the poll watchdog the issue of a full page advertisement published in a Hindi daily with an image of Prime Minister Modi which it claimed relies on religion to appeal to voters and thus is violative of the Model Code of Conduct and provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
"Yogi Adityanath made a speech in Bilari, Moradabad, UP, containing deliberate and false insinuations against the Indian National Congress favouring a certain religious community inter-alia labelling the same as 'intruders'," the party said in its summary of complaints to the EC.
The Congress also raised the issue of cancellation of passenger trains by the Northeast Frontier Railway Authorities scheduled to operate to constituencies of Silchar and Karimganj in Assam, a day prior to the date of polling in the constituencies.
The opposition party also raised with the Election Commission the issue of Union Minister Anurag Thakur delivering a 'provocative and deliberately' misleading speech creating a false impression in the minds of voters that the Congress and its election manifesto favours a certain religious community.
"He (Thakur) further claimed that the INC would steal the general public’s assets, including properties and allocate it within the religious group. Clear appeal on the basis of religion and directly violates the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, electoral laws. The statements made by Shri Anurag Thakur would also constitute offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code, 1860," the party said.
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