Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday approached the Election Commission (EC) seeking action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MP Babul Supriyo and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for playing the party's theme song for West Bengal during a rally.
The Election Commission of India on April 7 had banned the BJP's theme song composed by Asansol MP Babul Supriyo after the TMC raised objections against the composition.
The song was earlier asked to be modified and then sent to the electoral body for certification. However, then BJP had been asked to retract the song.
"On 23rd April 2019, PM Narendra Modi delivered a speech in Asansol, West Bengal. A link to the said speech is produced herewith. After the first nine minutes of the video, the leaders of the BJP on stage can be heard to announce that they will play the song, which was produced and illegally released by Union Minister Babul Supriyo. This song is the BJP theme song for the elections in WB and has been banned from being played out in public by the Election Commission," the complaint letter by TMC to EC stated.
"Mr Supriyo and the BJP have not received certification from the MCMC to play this song. However, the BJP leaders on stage to welcome PM Narendra Modi, have played the aforesaid song anyway. Therefore, this is a clear violation of multiple instructions laid down by the ECI that advertisements of any form need prior certification from the MCMC,".
The party led by Mamata Banerjee also urged the poll body to take strict and immediate action against PM Modi and MP Babul Supriyo saying," These directions are also widely mandated by the Manual on Model Code of Conduct (2019) and the Compendium of Instruction on Media Related Matters (2017). Furthermore, Mr Supriyo and the BJP even violated a direct order of the Additional Chief Electoral Officer and Chairperson, Additional CEO's Committee for Pre-Certification West Bengal, that the song cannot be played."
"Therefore, in light of the violation of the Supreme Court's Order as mentioned in the ECI's instruction number 509/75/2004/JS1 dated 15th April 2004. Election Commission's direct ban and violation of the MCC, the ECI is urged to look into the matter at the earliest and reprimand the PM Narendra Modi, Mr Supriyo and the BJP. Strictest legal recourse should be taken to teach a lesson to those who willfully violate the direct orders of the Election Commission", the complaint by TMC read.
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