Mumbai, November 19 (Language) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that the Election Commission of India has become a ‘caged parrot’ and a sham and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has turned a blind eye to it. ‘ Accused of.
In his weekly column ‘Rokhthok’ in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Raut accused the BJP of “bribing” voters after losing ground in the five states where assembly elections are being held (in November). Also accused of resorting to publicity.
Raut criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Madhya Pradesh last week in which he had promised people that if the BJP remained in power, it would organize government-organized yatras to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Raut said this was clearly propaganda on religious grounds.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member alleged that if such a statement had been made by a Congress leader, the Election Commission, like the Enforcement Directorate, would have been standing at the door with a “warrant”.
Raut said it is shocking to “bribe” voters to get votes and the Election Commission has turned a blind eye, which is harmful for democracy.
The consecration of the statue is to take place on January 22 in the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Raut said, “(Former Chief Election Commissioner) T.N. Seshan showed during his tenure that the Election Commission does not even have to roar, it just has to wag its tail and this will create fear among all political parties. The Election Commission has become a sham.”
“Whatever happened (during the election campaign in five states, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram) has proved that the Election Commission has become a caged parrot,” Raut alleged.
Raut pointed out that when Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray sought votes for party candidate Ramesh Prabhu on the issue of Hindutva in the 1987 Vile Parle by-election, his voting rights were canceled for six years. Shiv Sena MLAs Suryakant Mahadik, Ramakant Maykar and Prabhu, who won the by-election, were disqualified.
“They (BJP) usurped the Election Commission and other constitutional bodies and fought the battle of Hindutva,” Raut alleged.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission over Shah’s promise to visit Ram Temple and sarcastically asked whether the Commission had relaxed the Model Code of Conduct.
In the letter, Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the commission of adopting “double standards” in favor of the BJP.
Language Prashant Pawnesh
Pavnesh
