New Delhi, October 11-The Election Commission on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s October 3 radio broadcast did not violate the model code of conduct.
“The Commission did not find anything in the broadcast matter which constituted violation of Model Code of Conduct”, Election Commission told AICC’s Legal Cell Secretary KC Mittal.
The model code came into force on September 12 for the October 15 assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana.The EC said it heard the audio of the speech and perused its script before reaching the conclusion.
In a new initiative to reach out to the maximum populace, the Prime Minister had connected with people over radio with his ‘mann ki baat’, giving a pep talk on shedding despondency and use of skills for the country’s betterment and prosperity.
He impressed upon the people to generate confidence among themselves, including the specially-abled children who are a responsibility of the society, and advocated the need for use of khadi products as a homage to Mahatma Gandhi.
Congress had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing state machinery by broadcasting ‘mann ki baat’ address on All India Radio ahead of the October 15 assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.
In a complaint to the Election Commission, the party argued that Modi’s radio talk was in contravention of the poll panel’s instructions issued after the model code of conduct for the upcoming assembly polls came into force. The party demanded action against the PM and BJP.
Congress said after the model code comes into force, telecast/broadcast by political parties on Doordarshan or AIR could be done only as per the slots allotted to them by a draw of lots, conducted by Prasar Bharti in consultation with the poll panel.
Stating that Modi is the ‘prime campaigner and only face’ of BJP for the upcoming polls, AICC legal department secretary KC Mittal said the broadcast was “part of the election campaign and specially planned and designed for furtherance of the interest of the party (BJP) in power” by “misuse” of government machinery and personnel.
-INDIA TODAY
