ALL INDIA CONGRESS COMMITTEE

24, AKBAR ROAD, NEW DELHI

COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT

Dr. Singhvi said therefore, it is vital that the Election Commission uses that power, they have not used it in this form and manner for the last 72 years of India’s independence and it is proud moment that on our representation on my arguments, they have accepted it and they have applied it and I can guarantee you that the moment politicians using these techniques to get advantage of their own wrong, get this punitive measure of being temporarily suspended from doing what they are doing best or worst namely wrong campaigning, then this will stop forthwith.

I can predict with confidence that if the ‘Chunav Aayog’ sticks to this principle stand, is bold enough, is absolutely fearless and unequivocal in sending this message, every case, all these antics ‘Hathkandas’, sensationalism will stop in less than a week and that is the way it should be.

The Congress Party proposes for action with teeth, with cause, with consequences, proposals have been accepted for the very first time by the Election Commission. Election Commission has pushed pause button for hate speech campaigners who thrive on vitiating the atmosphere, dividing the people. The EC has left its stereo-typed practice of sending warnings and censures which such thick skinned people simply laugh off, collect in their bag and become repeat offender. Such people needed a clear message that you can’t take advantage by repeat habitual offences. Your window of campaigning of 40 days will become two days less, if you repeat this, will become four days less and so on and so forth and, therefore, I think that this is something which must be consistently followed and of course, it is for everyone. Tomorrow, anyone who does the same thing, they will suffer the same consequences.

Has somebody said law is above you, howsoever high you may be, the law is and shall remain above you. This is the majesty of the law.

Well friends, in that very same representation which I argued in the Congress delegation on the 5th of April – one part was this – CM Mr. Bisht speech. The other two were quoted there in the same representation and argued also was on the same date 9th of April. The Hon’ble Prime Minister in Nanded,                     Mr. Shah, the President of the ruling party, made equally objectionable,                       I would say absolutely hate-filled and illegal speeches. The Nanded by the Prime Minister was clearly a communal loaded comment in respect of Wayanad, Kerala where the Congress President is also fighting and he said “सीट भी ऐसी जहाँ पर देश की मैज्योरिटी माईन्योरिटी में है”। Of course, it is a different matter that we pointed out that this is factually wrong; the single largest denomination is not in the majority community. That is not the point. The point remain was, it is obvious Mr. Modi and his party sees everything in denominational, regional, religious terms – everything and the very diversity of India which is the heart and soul of India is criticized and condemned by them and the top leadership of BJP same day makes such comments. It is part of an organized pattern, a decided pre-meditate pattern. Mr. Amit Shah the President in Nagpur says the same thing and we have again quoted that it is a long way, so objectionable.  “राहुल बाबा अपने गठबंधन के लिए केरल के अंदर ऐसी सीट पर जाकर खड़े हैं, मालूम नहीं पड़ता जलूस निकलता है तो भारत का है या पाकिस्तान का जलूस है”। Then he goes on – Mr. Amit Shah is most expansive, the most viburative – “आलिया-मालिया-जमालिया देश में घुसकर जवानों के सर काट देते हैं। अभी पुलवामा पर पाकिस्तान के भेजे हुए आतंकवादियों का हमला किया, अपने 40 जवान शहीद हुए, पर ये मौनी बाबा डॉ.मनमोहन सिंह जी की सरकार नहीं है, ये नरेन्द्र मोदी जी की सरकार है। शहीदों की तेहरवीं के दिन भारतीय एयरफोर्स के जवान विमान लेकर पाकिस्तान के घर में घुस कर आतंकवादियों के ट्रेनिंग कैंप उड़ाने का काम, एयरस्ट्राइक का काम किया”, Then he goes on – on Hindu terror and attributes wrong facts to Shri Rahul Gandhi.

The last point I wanted to say – I want to ask this question that we hope and trust that the Election Commission will be even handed, will be                           non-discriminatory. The words I have read to you deliberately because they seem to be to me even more objectionable than the shorter objectionable words quoted about Mr. Bisht.

It is time that the Election Commission forthwith ban this habitual offender, the President of BJP and the Prime Minister of this country for one, two, three, four, five days from campaigning whichever the Election Commission thinks appropriate. It is not about the Prime Minister, it is not about the President, it is about the non-discriminatory, even handed application of the law and I will tell you that another aspect of our submission has also been accepted because we had given a three-tier set of graded penalties. The first timer will get one day, if you are habitual, you may get three days and so on. Mr. Bisht has been sentenced to a three-day punishment – 72 hours – starting tomorrow. So I think that aspect of graded hierarchy punishment is also vital. So, friends, as I said, it is excellent start, it has happened on a Congress argument on a Congress delegation and we hope and trust that it is even handed application will continue unabated howsoever high be the position the person concerned occupies.

On a question about the explanation notice to Congress President by the Supreme Court, Dr. Singhvi said fair enough, that is the legal process. Those three points – (1) it is a notice and the BJP is bound to cite it as an order of judgment and we all know that they are equally guilty of distorting, if they allege distortion by us, if they call it a final order. Not one of the word, I am already hearing the Press by the BJP, has been set by the Supreme Court today. They have simply said this was our meaning and notice to explain. (2) You can rest assure that we will give a comprehensive, strong effective explanation. (3) Let me be very clear the words are obvious there for everyone to see, nobody is squabbling on the word. Text you have, I have – video you have, I have – the interpretation of that by the BJP is completely distorted and we will present to the Court how, why and in what manner. Certainly no body can suggest and nobody was intending to suggest and nobody has suggested that the Supreme Court in a judicial order will see political campaign word like ‘chowkidar chor’. How can that be the intention of any one and it was certainly not the intention. It was misled, distorted out of context and we will give a full fitting reply.

Sd/-

(Vineet Punia)

Secretary

Communication Deptt.

 AICC