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Journalism of Courage
Violating the code of conduct, the Ludhiana unit of Congress used photograph and name of President of India Dr Pranab Mukherjee in an election campaign meeting on Friday.
Sharmishtha Mukherjee, the daughter of Pranab Mukherjee and also a Congress leader, was in Ludhiana to campaign for Congress and hold meetings. She was hosted by Ludhiana district Congress president Gurpreet Gogi and Ludhiana west candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
In the hoardings put up by the party local leaders to welcome Sharmishtha, the photograph of the President was placed along with photos of Captain Amarinder Singh, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and Gogi.
Asked about the hoardings, Gogi told The Indian Express: “We did not intend to use the name and photo of the President in our election campaign. We used the President’s name and photo on our party’s posters only to welcome his daughter and honour her.”
Ludhiana deputy commissioner and district election officer Ravi Bhagat said the President of India is a neutral chair and thus none of the parties could use his or her name in election campaign.
“We will get it checked through our returning officer of the area and notice will be issued if violation has taken place. The President of India is a neutral person and not from any party till he/she is on the chair,” he said.
Addressing a press conference at Gogi’s office, Sharmishtha bashed up AAP for spreading lies. “The Delhi model of development being flaunted by Arvind Kejriwal here in Punjab is nothing, but a sham. No development has taken place in Delhi and this person is fooling the people of Punjab to get votes. Such lies do not suit a person who is the chief minister of Delhi,” she said.
She also blamed the SAD-BJP for making Punjab a “drug haven” and said “the Congress is the only option with the people of Punjab now to bring back prosperity”.
