Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), Delhi, has denied the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) claim that the Election Commission had banned its Lok Sabha campaign 'Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge' song. The poll body said that the party has been asked to make changes as per the rules.
In response to the AAP application seeking permission to use the song and video, the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) of the office raised objections and asked the party to make changes to its song and resubmit it for certification. AAP submitted the application on April 25, and the response was received on Saturday.
Here's what poll body said on AAP song
In a letter dated April 27, the poll body returned AAP's application for certification of video advertisement, stating "the phrase Jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge showing aggressive mob holding a photo of Arvind Kejriwal behind bars, casts aspersions on judiciary. Further, the said phrase appears several tumes in the advertisement which contravenes the provision of ECI guidelines."
The poll body further said that the phrase 'Tanashahi party ko hum chot denge' with the clip showing the protesters and police clash which, apparently incites violence.
The Election Commission also raised objections to certain clips used in the video that portrayed the police in a negative light. One such clip of former deputy CM Manish Sisodia being escorted by cops, with the phrase in the background, "gundagardi ke khilaf vote denge and tanashahi karne wali party ko hum chot denge" (we will vote against hooliganism and we will injure the party indulging in dictatorship). "The words and the clip tend to present the picture of police in bad taste. It thus casts aspersions on the working and defamatory and slanderous remarks for the police," it said.
"The phrase 'Awazein khilaf thi jo sabko jail me daal dia, has unko hi balm rakha jisne inko maal dia. Una lalach, itna nafrat, bhrastachari se mohabbat' shows slanderous remarks and is a criticism of the ruling party on the basis of unverified facts and also casts aspersion on the judiciary," it said.
The poll body also said in the campaign song the phrase "Tanashahi party ko hum chot denge" with the clip showing aggressive mob clashing with the police shows criticism of the ruling party on the basis of unverified facts.
The commission cited Rules 6 and 7 of the programme code while refusing permission. Rule 6 states: "No programme should be carried in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes."
"Therefore, the advertisement is hereby returned with the request to modify the contents of the creative as per the Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994," EC said.
EC's letter stated that the campaign song may be "resubmitted after modification for certification".
AAP claims EC banned song
The AAP, however, accused the poll body of attempting to ban the song in response to a complaint from the BJP.
Addressing a press conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader Atishi accused the Election Commission of becoming a "political weapon of the BJP" and turning a blind eye to its violations. She also asserted that the campaign song does not mention the BJP and does not violate the Model Code of Conduct.
"It includes factual videos and incidents, whether it is the picture of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, whether it is the video of police’s misbehaviour with Manish Sisodia in the Rouse Avenue Court, whether it is the brutal detention of our volunteers in protests, everything is factual.
"Does the EC want to suppress the truth? Does the poll agency want to hide the misconduct of the police or the political misuse of the probe agencies by the BJP?" she asked.
The AAP launched its Lok Sabha campaign song titled 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' on April 25. The song, written and sung by AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, was introduced in Delhi by party leaders during an event held at the AAP headquarters. The party's Lok Sabha campaign has a similar theme and is titled 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' (we will respond to jailing Kejriwal through voting).
Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP launches campaign song 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' | VIDEO
