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In a complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of flouting the 48-hour silence period by tweeting about the Rajasthan elections on the day of voting. The BJP has asked the EC to direct X, formerly Twitter, to remove Gandhi’s tweet, and to file a criminal complaint against Gandhi.
In the impugned tweet, Gandhi said in Hindi, “Rajasthan will choose free treatment, Rajasthan will chose cheap gas cylinders, Rajasthan will choose interest-free farm loans, Rajasthan will choose English education, Rajasthan will choose OPS, Rajasthan will choose caste census. Today, go and use your right to vote in huge numbers. Choose the guaranteed Congress government that focusses on public welfare. #CongressAgain”.
The BJP cited section 126 of the Representation of People Act which defines the 48-hour silence period before the conclusion of the poll. According to section 126, “election matter” means “any matter intended or calculated to influence or affect the result of an election”, and violation of this is punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine.
“This constitutes a huge violation by star campaigner of the Congress party. Such an audacious act on the date of voting deserves to be handled strongly by the Commission and stern punitive action should be taken urgently against the delinquent,” the BJP said in its complaint.
The BJP said that the tweet also constitutes a “corrupt practice” under section 123 of the Representation of People Act, alleging that Gandhi “has committed a deliberate act for influencing the voters by enticing them to vote for INC in the name of freebies, as also on the basis of caste considerations by referring to caste census as on the date of voting”.
The BJP said that Gandhi’s tweet had already been viewed 230 thousand times as of 10.35am on November 25.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress.
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