NEW DELHI, Oct 9: The Election Commission today expressed “deep anguish” at plummeting level of speeches ahead of Bihar polls saying these are aimed at causing mutual hatred and disharmony and urged politicians to observe restraint and decency during campaigning.
The Commission’s strongly-worded instructions came close on the heels of politicians using election rallies and press conferences to target each other ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
The EC said it has observed “with a deep sense of anguish and serious concern about the plummeting levels of political speeches by various political party leaders and candidates in the ongoing general election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad have been involved in a slugfest over the latter’s reported ‘Hindus also eat beef’ remark.
Wading into the beef controversy, Modi had yesterday attacked Prasad over his beef remarks, saying he has insulted people of Bihar and particularly his community “Yaduvanshis” who had brought him to power. He had also questioned Lalu’s claim that a ‘shaitan’ (devil) had made make the statement.
Launching a counter-attack, the RJD chief had tweeted, “Modi should not add insult to Bihar through figment of his ‘shaitan’. I challenge Modi and a few of his sycophant mediapersons to show me my statement on it (shaitan).”
After Modi’s speech at Munger, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had accused him of communalising the atmosphere.
Earlier this week, an FIR was lodged against All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi by Kishanganj district administration for allegedly making inflammatory speech at an election rally.
Lynching of a man in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh over
allegations of consumption of beef and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s demand for a review of the reservation policy have given ammunition to parties to target each other in Bihar.
EC said while guidelines and advisories to political parties have been issued again and again — the latest one being on September 17, “the situation still continues to be far from satisfactory”.
“The tone and tenor of the political speeches have been found to be calculated to cause mutual hatred, disharmony or ill-will and aimed at to aggravate the differences between different political parties and classes of citizens on the grounds of religion, caste and community which the Model Code of Conduct dissuades the political parties and candidates,” the poll watchdog said.
The Commission reminded politicians that the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression is not absolute and is required to be exercised in such a manner that it does not transcend the boundaries of decency and morality or disturb public order or amount to defamation or give incitement to an offence.
The poll panel strongly urged political parties, their leaders as well as the contesting candidates “to observe utmost restraint and decency in their election campaign speeches and set an example for future elections in the matter of maintaining high standards of conduct and behaviour in election campaign”. (PTI)
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