TMC Knocks EC's Door Over BJP's Tweet Seeking Votes On Ram Mandir

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale questioned the Election Commission of India on Thursday, asking why the BJP appears to be openly exempt from MCC rules. Gokhale highlighted that while tweets from other parties on certain topics get taken down, those from the BJP do not.

While sharing a screenshot of a tweet posted by the BJP's official handle, Gokhale wrote, "The Election Commission pontificates about not using religion in campaigning but will ignore this completely."

The BJP's tweet, titled "The power of your 'one vote'!" was attached with a graphical image of Lord Ram's idol at the Ayodhya temple with text on top of the image. The text read: "Them (Opposition leaders): Your one vote to BJP will not make a difference. The difference" (below the text is the image of Lord Ram suggesting the change brought by voting for BJP).

Yesterday, fact checker Mohammed Zubair had shared the screenshot of a similar tweet posted by BJP on Wednesday.

Tagging the handles of Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kuamar, ECI spokesperson and official handle of EC, Zubair wrote, "Tajinder Bagga (BJP leader from Delhi) knows how to twist by saying 'They hate Ram Mandir'. It's not about Mandir in the background, but by what's written in the poster is a violation of the election code of conduct. "

Many opposition parties have alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is biased towards the ruling BJP by not taking action against the saffron party when it breaches the model code of conduct.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came down heavily on the poll body on Wednesday after it ordered the social media platform 'X' to take down select posts of the party for violations of the MCC.

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar, addressing a press conference, stated that the party has filed two complaints with the EC over BJP's posts and hoardings, but no action has been taken. "It is the country's misfortune that the EC is working as an extended wing of the BJP. We have filed two complaints with the EC, but no action has been taken," she said.

According to reports, X released a statement on Tuesday stating that the EC asked it to remove the posts by leaders of the YSR Congress Party, the Telugu Desam Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the Bharatiya Janata Party.