Really? Of all things, EC had to file FIR against TV channels over Rahul Gandhi interview
The Election Commission of India was one of the last institutions standing between an increasingly authoritarian regime under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the political health of India. Today, on the eve of the second phase of the two-phased Gujarat Assembly polls, even that claim cannot be made without dollops of irony.
By directing the chief electoral officer of Gujarat on Wednesday, December 13, to file an FIR against a Gujarati television channel that aired an interview of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress’ president-elect and the party’s poll mascot in the high-voltage election campaign, the EC has exposed its rank hypocrisy and utter disdain for fairness.
@OfficeOfRG interview, Fmr PM ManMohan Singh’s attack on @PMOIndia vs @AmitShah’s tweets, @PiyushGoyal presser attack on @INCIndia.. Well campaign for second phase of #GujaratElections2017 still very much on..Meanwhile ECI orders FIR against channels that ran RaGa interview.. pic.twitter.com/AU7ZNCHXrF
— Ankit Tyagi (@Ankit_Tyagi01) December 13, 2017
“We have got a complaint regarding telecast of an interview. We have collected the DVDs. We will be doing a due examination and look into whether it has violated Rules 126 Representation of the People Act or not,” Gujarat chief electoral officer BB Swain was quoted saying earlier on Wednesday. The EC has also asked Rahul Gandhi to reply by 5pm of December 18, also the day when the results of the Assembly election will be declared, to “explain why action shouldn’t be taken against [Gandhi] for violating the provisions of the MCC (model code of conduct)”.
Election Commission asks Rahul Gandhi to reply by 5 pm on 18th December over his interview to TV Channels, says 'explain why action should not be taken against you for violating provisions of MCC, failing which Commission will decide matter without any further reference to you'
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2017
We have been directed by the EC to take actions by filing FIR against violation of 126 (1) (b) of Representation of People Act 1951 in the areas going to polls tomorrow and we are working on it: BB Swain, Chief Electoral Officer, Gujarat
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2017
It’s absolutely stunning and shocking to watch the EC denigrate its own code of conduct by firing its salvo against channels and the leader of the Opposition in Rahul Gandhi, when it has cast a blind eye to serial flouting of MCC by the ruling BJP in Gujarat, which is facing a humungous anti-incumbency caused by 22 years of unbroken rule that’s now lost its sheen.
For example, the BJP releasing its Gujarat poll manifesto, or the “Sankalp Patra” on December 8, one day before the first phase of the polls on December 9, was a major violation of the model code of conduct. That’s because the manifesto is basically a vision statement of why a particular electorate should choose a party, and launching the manifesto on December 8 was opportunistic and illegal in the first place. However, none other than Union finance minister Arun Jaitley presided over the ceremony, thus calling into question EC’s bipartisan approach to the Gujarat Assembly polls.
Secondly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while campaigning for phase two of the Assembly polls on Friday December 8 in Ahmedabad, made a direct appeal to the voters to pick the lotus symbol on both the days of voting, thereby flouting the model code of conduct. The MCC requires that no direct appeal to votes or any method that could influence voters in any manner, swaying them towards a particular party or leader, can be made 48 hours into the beginning of the voting process.
PM Modi, by actually asking in Gujarat that Congress should specify if it wanted a mandir or a masjid at a rally in Bhabhar in Banaskantha, violated the MCC once again, which forbids any direct appeal or use of religious symbols or words that can polarise voters along communal lines. PM Modi raked up the Ayodhya issue, even as the BJP tried to insinuate that Rahul Gandhi wasn’t a Hindu, thereby bringing up, again and again, matters that polarise the electorate on communal lines.
In addition, the PM has appeared at various forums today, December 13, on the eve of the phase of Gujarat Assembly polls, and at FICCI, he delivered a speech that can only be received as a loaded political message, involving former PM Manmohan Singh, suspended Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar and the election campaign. While PM Modi shook former PM Singh’s hands outside Parliament today when they had gathered to pay homage to the martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack, the accusations have been a-coming, with former PM Singh making a video address demanding a formal apology from PM Modi over the Pakistan remarks.
Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh issues a statement on the baseless allegations made towards him by PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/Vlqfjcgr5q
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 13, 2017
Following PM Singh’s statement, the BJP has fielded national president Amit Shah and Union minister Piyush Goyal to hurl allegations against the Congress, former PM Singh in further lowering of the political discourse.
When Sonia ji called Modi ji 'Maut ka Saudagar' then where was Manmohan Singh ji's advice on use of words and position? Same when Rahul ji tore ordinance. Scam after scam occurred in UPA, then Manmohan ji did not find anything wrong?: Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/1W9Jn8KuZH
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2017
Rahul Gandhi opposed Nirma project & instructed Jayanti Natarajan to not give environmental clearance. Was willing to kill jobs in Gujarat to undermine to hurt development agenda of Narendra Modi: Piyush Goyal,Union Minister pic.twitter.com/0QMswD6Shp
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2017
Little wonder then that Congress has hit back and hard. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has countered the EC’s allegation by listing out the occasions during which MCC was flouted blatantly by the BJP, while asserting that a Congress delegation led by campaign in-charge Ashok Gehlot would meet the EC officials on the matter. The Congress subsequently submitted a memo to the ECI demanding “immediate registration of FIR against BJP leaders for violating MCC”.
New norms for justice by ECI-:1.FM-BJP leaders hold a PC in Ahd & release Manifesto on 8th Dec-No FIR2.Modiji does 4 public meetings in 9th Dec-No FIR3.Amit Shahji does a PC at Ahemdabad today-No FIR4. Piyush Gotalji does 2 PC’s today-No FIR.Rahulji’s interview-FIRJai Ho!
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017
A Congress delegation led by Sh. Ashok Gehlot will be at ECI at 9.15.If FIR against news channels for showing interview of Congress President,why no FIR against PM, FM, Union Minister & BJP President on this ground? Are these not double standards?Let there be accountability.
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017
Congress delegation submitted a memorandum to ECI demanding immediate registration of FIR against BJP leaders in the context of them violating the model code of conduct.If FIR can be registered against news channels for telecasting Rahul ji's interview then why not against BJP? pic.twitter.com/AbOzlUU1R2
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 13, 2017
In addition, commentators on social media have called out EC’s double standards volubly.
EC asks for action against tv channels airing @OfficeOfRG interview. In age of social media & 24/7 tv old rule of pre poll ban is redundant. When PM/CMs can keep using public platforms2 message why not opposition Ldrs.
— K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) December 13, 2017
When all channels broadcast BJP's manifesto press conference the day before the first stage of polling the EC forgot all these rules they are suddenly remembering now. Complete disgrace. https://t.co/DOyTtt5LIT
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) December 13, 2017
The lowering of political discourse and the no-holds-barred electoral strategies on display in the Gujarat Assembly polls have been truly an eye-opener for the Indian citizens. As a combatant Congress fights it tooth and nail, as youth leaders like Hardik Patel, who is too young to contest elections, Alpesh Thakore, Jignesh Mevani, et al call out the many institutional hypocrisies that have played themselves out in the battle for Gujarat, the newly-anointed president elect of the 132-year-old party kept his focus solely on issues, such as jobs, reservations, education, healthcare, agriculture, industry, growth, trade and commerce, easier taxation, corporate write-offs, among others.
In fact, as YouTube clips of the Rahul Gandhi interview/s that’s in the eye of the storm go viral on social media before they get taken down, the message from the Congress mascot – that of a healing touch – hasn’t gone unnoticed by many in the mainstream and social media. However, the lid has been blown off the EC’s double standards as well.