Congress at EC over 'libelous' ads against Siddaramaiah
New Delhi, April 27: The Congress on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission (EC) against the Karnataka unit of BJP for "publishing and broadcasting false, misleading and defamatory advertisements" in print and electronic media.
The party said such advertisements were a violation of model code of conduct by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was doing this for the sake of votes.
The Congress complained that the BJP in Karnataka levelled "false, frivolous, baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated charges" against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to "malign his image".
The complaint was made as the model code is in force in the state which goes to polls on May 12.
The party demanded that the Commission inquire into the complaint and take strict and prompt action in the matter.
The memorandum was submitted by Congress leaders Mohan Prakash, P.L. Punia, Vivek Tankha, Avinash Pandey, Sushmita Dev and Pranav Jha to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Om Prakash Rawat.
"That a print advertisement was published in various newspapers in Karnataka with an intent to malign the image of Chief Minister of the state by making false and unverified allegations against him.
"In these advertisements, the Karnataka BJP has made serious allegations and remarks using unsubstantiated and vague metrics like 'goondaraj', killing of lakes, garbage mess, etc.," the memorandum said.
"These advertisements blatantly use the Chief Minister's name and likeness to malign his character. Use of words 'Siddha Sarkar' and a cut-out of Chief Minister makes it explicit that the allegations are of personal nature...," it added.
The memorandum stated that similar advertisements had also appeared on various television channels.
"We request the Election Commission, in accordance with parliamentary and democratic traditions, to inquire into the matter and take strict and prompt action...against the Karnataka BJP for violation of model code," said the party.
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Congress victory in bypolls not a clean chit to CM in MUDA case: R Ashoka
Srirangapatna (Karnataka), Nov 24: The Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Sunday said the Congress party’s victory in the bypolls held for three assembly constituencies is not a clean chit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scam.
He said the case is still going on in the court of law.
“MUDA case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is still in court but he is calling the bye-election result itself as a clean chit. Only courts can give clean chit and not the elections,” Ashoka said while addressing a gathering in Taggalli in Srirangapatna.
Later, speaking to reporters, Ashoka said results of the bypoll held for three assembly constituencies of Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur is a victory of money and not a victory of Congress. The BJP leader said his party’s fight will continue against the corruption of the Congress government.
ALSO READ; Have won in people’s court, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on by-poll results
Separately, in a post on social media ‘X’, Ashoka said the ruling Congress is under the illusion that they have won three worlds just by winning the by-election by diverting money and winning the votes of one community through appeasement politics.
He took a dig at Siddaramaiah for his statement that the opposition had spread lies with regard to the allegation of "Rs 89 crore embezzlement" in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation.
“Didn't you yourself admit in the Karnataka assembly that crores of money were misappropriated in the Valmiki Corporation, is that a lie?” Ashoka questioned.
He has also asked the CM whether returning of 14 sites by his wife Parvathi B M in the MUDA scam was an indirect confession of his crime. “Is it a lie when the Karnataka High Court loudly said that an investigation is needed against you in the MUDA scam?” the BJP leader asked.
