NEW DELHI, Apr 2
The Election Commission on Monday censured BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for their remarks on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and actor Kangana Ranaut, respectively.
“The Commission, in its order today after the receipt of their replies to notices issued to them over MCC violations, said they are convinced that they made a low-level personal attack and thus violated the provisions of Model Code of Conduct. They have been warned to remain careful in public utterances during the Model Code of Conduct period,” an EC source said.
The Election Commission had on March 27 issued show-cause notices to Ghosh and Shrinate, finding that both had prima facie violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The poll panel also said the two had violated its advisory to parties on March 1 regarding the level of political discourse, which says “low-level personal attacks” should not be made and warned against “deeds/action/ utterances that may be construed repugnant to the honor and dignity of women”. In the case of Ghosh, the EC said it had received a complaint from the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday alleging that he had made an “objectionable and disrespectful comment” about Banerjee while addressing the media.
“When Didi goes to Goa she becomes Goa’s daughter, in Tripura she says I am Tripura’s daughter, decide who is your father, this is not right,” Ghosh said, as per the English translation of his comments included in the notice. “The comment has been found to be offensive and prima facie violative of the [MCC],” the notice said.
In the notice to Shrinate, the chairperson of the Congress social media wing, the EC said it had received a complaint from the BJP on Tuesday alleging that she had posted a photo of Ranaut on X on Monday.
The caption with the photo was found to be “undignified and in bad taste” and a violation of the MCC, the EC said.
