Neither Images Of Jawans Nor Places Of Worship Can Be Used For Poll Campaign, Well Done Election Commission

With the election battle in full swing, cutting across party lines candidates and leaders are leaving no stones unturned to garner maximum political mileage in the polls which is scheduled to begin next month.

In the backdrop of the Pulwama terror attack the Balakot air strike and the entire episode involving Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the political atmosphere too is changed among similar lines.

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From top BJP leaders to MLAs, a number of them have used references to Pulwama, Surgical strikes and Wing Commander Abhinandan in their political rallies and campaigns.

It had reached a point where the Election Commission of India had to step in and ask political parties not to use defence personnel in their campaigns.

The EC in a letter earlier this month "called upon all political parties to advise their candidates and leaders to desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel or photographs functions involving defence personnel in advertisements".

EC had also asked Facebook to remove IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan's picture used and shared by BJP MLA OP Sharma on the social media site.

Now, the EC in a fresh directive has asked political parties and religious leaders to refrain from using places of worship for propaganda during the Lok Sabha polls.

¡°As per the Model Code of Conduct, the use of caste and religion during the election campaign is strictly prohibited,¡± a statement issued by Delhi¡¯s Chief Electoral Officer said.

The EC's directive comes after the BJP requested it to appoint special observers at mosques to prevent attempts to ¡°polarise voters on religious lines¡± during the elections.

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Incidentally, just a few days back the BJP state unit in Kerala had openly said that they will defy an order by Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer TR Meena against the use of Sabarimala issue in the poll campaign.

"Invoking or doing some religious propaganda on Sabarimala issue by invoking the name of the Sabarimala god will be a clear violation of model code of conduct," Meena had said adding that the EC will take strict action against those found violating the order.

BCCL

BJP, which has so far failed to win a single seat from the state in Lok Sabha elections is eyeing its best chance this year riding on the sentiments of Hindus who are opposed to allowing entry of women from all age groups in the hill shrine in Sabarimala.

BJP's best bet is in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, where hardline Hindutva leader Kummanam Rajasekharan who resigned as the governor of Mizoram is pitted against former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor who is the sitting MP there.