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Journalism of Courage
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a notice to former Calcutta High Court judge and current BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay after finding his recent remarks about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to be “improper” and a prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
The Trinamool Congress moved the poll body on Thursday against the speech of Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the BJP candidate from the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal, during a public meeting on Wednesday in East Midnapore. The Bengal ruling party also used the English translation of the BJP leader’s speech in its complaint.
After examining the comment, the EC said it was found to be “improper, injudicious, beyond dignity in every sense of the term, in bad taste and to be prima facie violative of the…MCC and Commission’s advisory dated March 1, 2024.”
The EC asked Gangopadhyay, who joined the BJP after resigning as a judge before the Lok Sabha elections 2024, to reply to its notice by 5 pm on May 20.
On its part, the BJP said the video of the election rally where Gangopadhyay is allegedly heard referring to Banerjee disparagingly was “fake”.
As per the MCC, parties and candidates should not criticise aspects of the private lives of opponents, should not make unverified allegations, and should not make statements that may be malicious or offend decency and morality. In its March 1 advisory to parties before the Lok Sabha elections, the EC reminded them to follow the MCC and maintain decency in political discourse. It also said that parties and candidates should refrain from any actions that may be seen as repugnant to the dignity of women.
