New Delhi
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi claimed on Sunday that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has banned the party’s campaign song, ‘Jail ka Jawab Vote Se’, alleging that it portrays the ruling party and government agencies negatively. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Atishi said, in a dictatorial regime, the opposition is jailed and also stopped from campaigning. The ECI has banned AAP’s campaign song. This is likely the first time in Indian history that the ECI has banned a campaign song.
Atishi criticized the ECI for what she described as a double standard, stating that the poll body remains silent when the BJP uses the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to jail opposition leaders during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) but finds fault with AAP’s campaign song. She noted that the song doesn’t mention the BJP by name, yet the ECI claimed it portrays the ruling party and agencies in a bad light.
The ECI’s reaction indicates that they believe the BJP is running a dictatorship in the country, Atishi added. She urged the ECI to live up to the legacy of former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan, who is remembered for promoting free and fair elections. Atishi cautioned that if the ECI doesn’t remain impartial, the 2024 elections could be seen as the moment when Indian democracy began to unravel. She urged the ECI to pay attention to the BJP’s alleged daily violations of the Model Code of Conduct.
