Congress lodges poll code violation complaint over Jharkhand BJP ad targeting Soren, Rahul, Tejashwi

New Delhi: The Congress lodged a complaint with the Election Commission on Sunday over a BJP advertisement targeting JMM-Congress-RJD alliance leaders, saying baseless allegations and statements were ascribed to them while portraying them in a negative light with the sole intent of propagating false narratives.

In a memorandum submitted to the Election Commission (EC), Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh urged the poll body to issue directives for the immediate takedown of all videos of the advertisement and consequently take urgent action against the BJP and its official Facebook handle for Jharkhand.

The advertisement, which appears to take a dig at Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav by featuring three characters resembling them, shows them being "anti-tribal" and how they now want to seek their votes.

"We are writing to you with respect to an advertisement published by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) official Facebook handle for the state of Jharkhand ie, BJP4Jharkhand. On a prima facie viewing, the advertisement published by the BJP4Jharkhand page is in blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct and other electoral laws," Ramesh said in his memorandum to the EC that he shared on X.

In the advertisement published on November 9, false allegations and statements are being ascribed to leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Indian National Congress (INC) and the RJD, he said.

"Additionally, the leaders are being portrayed in a negative and false light, with the sole intent of propagating false and baseless narratives against them," Ramesh said.

"In the said advertisement, the BJP had first tried to use actors who resemble the leaders of JMM, INC and RJD. Consequently, the advertisement has tried to raise several blatantly false allegations against the leaders of the JMM, INC and the RJD. One of the allegations is that these leaders are anti-Adivasi (against tribals) who are banding together under the garb of being pro-Adivasis to ultimately serve their own personal agendas," Ramesh said.

A clip of the advertisement is annexed and a transcribed version reproduced, he added.

It is submitted that under the Model Code of Conduct, no political party, leader or candidate can engage in electoral campaigning that is based on false information about opposing political parties or candidates, Ramesh said.

Further, no political party, leader or candidate can engage in activities that would constitute corrupt practices under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, he said.

The Congress general secretary said, "The advertisement published by the BJP is rife with baseless allegations and falsehoods whose sole purpose is to unduly influence voters to dissuade them from voting for any opposition party and for the BJP to make unfair electoral gains in the state of Jharkhand."

The content of the advertisement published by the BJP is in complete violation of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and the Representation of the People Act, he said.

Further, given that the assembly election process is underway in Jharkhand, the BJP was required to have its advertisement approved by the EC, in accordance with electoral norms of conduct published by the poll body, Ramesh said.

Under Article 324 of the Constitution, the Commission is duty-bound to ensure that the poll process across the country is in adherence with the principles of free and fair elections and the doctrine of level playing field, Ramesh said.

"Further, it is incumbent upon this Hon'ble Commission to check all instances of violations of electoral norms and the Model Code of Conduct that political parties, leaders or candidates commit during elections," he said.

"Considering the above-stated principles and the contents of the advertisement, we request that this Hon'ble Commission directs the immediate takedown of the all videos and consequently takes urgent action against the BJP and its official Facebook handle for the state of Jharkhand," Ramesh said in his memorandum.

The memorandum comes amid campaigning for elections to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly that will be held on November 13 and November 20. The votes will be counted on November 23.