Here's why Election Commission wants AAP to change its poll campaign song
The EC has asked AAP to modify its poll campaign song 'Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge', as it seems to be allegedly violating their guidelines and advertising codes. What are EC's objections?
The Election Commission has directed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to revise the contents of their Lok Sabha campaign song 'Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge' since it allegedly violated EC's guidelines and advertising codes.
The over two-minute campaign song, penned and sung by AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, was released at the party headquarters last week.
In a statement, the Delhi chief electoral office said that after a review and scrutiny of the advertisement submitted by AAP, the Media Pre Certification Committee headed by Delhi's joint chief electoral officer has made certain observations about the song.
"The said creative/advertisement was returned along with the observations with the request to modify the contents of the creative as per the Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 and ECI guideline/ norms circulated vide letter dated August 24, 2023 and resubmit after modification, for the certification," it said.
The statement also pointed out that if the party did not agree with the committee's decision, it can file an appeal before the state-level media certification and monitoring committee.
Earlier, the Delhi poll panel had termed certain images and phrases as "slanderous" and "criticism of the ruling party on the basis of unverified facts" and said it also cast aspersions on the judiciary and police.
So, what exactly are the objections being raised by EC against the song?
'Against ECI guidelines'
Sources told PTI that the Delhi chief electoral office has taken objection to the phrase 'jail ke jawaab mai hum vote denge' since it goes against the provisions of ECI guidelines and the programme and advertising codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994.
Besides the repeated use of ‘Jail ka jawaab hum vote se denge’, other phrases like 'gunda gardi ke khilaf vote denge' and ‘Tanashahi harne wali party ko hum chot denge’ violates the provisions of pars 2.5 (d) of ECI guidelines dated 24.08.2023 and rule 6(1)(g) of programme and advertising codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994.
'Casting aspersions on judiciary'
It said that images showing an aggressive crowd carrying Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's photo in which he is behind bars 'cast aspersions on the judiciary', sources added.
'Inciting violence'
Secondly, the EC has raised an objection to the phrase 'Tanashahi party ko hum chot denge' , which comes along with a clip of protesters and police clashing. This 'incites violence', said the EC.
'Showing police in bad light'
Next, the EC said that the phrases 'gundagardi ke khilaf vote denge' and 'tanashahi karne wali party ko hum chot denge', which were used alongwith the clip showing jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia being escorted by the police tend to 'present the picture of police in bad taste'.
Therefore, it is casting 'aspersions on the working of…the police', said the EC.
'Criticism of ruling party'
In the song, another phrase 'Awazein khilaf thi jo sabko jail me daal dia, has unko hi bahar rakha jisne inko maal dia. Itna lalach, itna nafrat, bhrastachari se mohabbat' has been marked as slanderous. "It is a criticism of the ruling party on the basis of 'unverified facts and also casts aspersion on the judiciary,' said the EC in their letter to AAP, said sources.
'Slander' of other parties
The use of a phrase like 'Gundo wali party chodo' shown with pictures of other political party leaders along with their party symbol has been termed as 'slanderous remarks addressed to the other party and their leader'.
AAP hits back
Meanwhile, AAP leader Atishi criticised the poll panel for saying the song 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se Denge' shows the 'ruling party (BJP) and investigation agencies in a bad light'.
"The most interesting thing is that throughout the campaign song, there is no mention of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s name anywhere, but the Election Commission of India says that ‘if you talk about dictatorship, this is a criticism of the ruling party.’
"That means the poll body itself believes that the BJP is running a dictatorial rule in this country," she added. Maintaining that her party has done no wrong, Atishi appealed to the poll body "to pay attention to the fact that the BJP is flouting the Model Code of Conduct every day and stop the work of stalling the election campaign of the opposition".
"I really hope that after a few years, the elections of 2024 should not be remembered as the election in which India's democracy ended, in which the Election Commission was not neutral, in which the Election Commission became a political weapon of the BJP," she said.