The Congress on Monday moved the Election Commission seeking strictures against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for using the government-owned news channel for their election campaign and for using channel “Namo TV” as “a political tool” when the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
The party gave three different memoranda to the poll panel – against Namo TV for “illegal telecast of BJP propaganda”, against Modi using government-owned news channels (DD News) for election campaign and for removal of tainted election officers in Jharkhand.
The memorandum on “Prime Minister’s personal television channel ‘Namo TV'” called upon the Election Commission to issue “urgent and necessary directions” to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and DTH service providers to take urgent action against the channel”
It also called for “strictures/censure” against Modi and BJP for “using the channel as political tool” when the poll code was in effect.
The second memorandum on “Doordarshan broadcast” sought “urgent and necessary directions” to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Prasar Bharti (DD News).
It called for “strictures/censure” against Modi and BJP for using the news channel “as a tool to promote and advertise their election campaign”.
Citing the “Main bhi Chowkidar” programme telecast live on DD News on Sunday evening, where Modi addressed and interacted with people, it said the sole reason for the programme, also broadcast on the Youtube channel of the broadcaster, was to promote personal achievements of Modi.
The third memorandum called for urgent directions to the Chief Electoral Officer in Jharkhand for “immediate suspension or transfer of election officers/agents with pending criminal cases and complaints of serious nature”.
IANS