Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai says, 'ECI's double standard is intriguing'

Anil Desai/ X

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai in his letter to the Election Commission of India stated that their double standards are intriguing. The Sena leader, in his letter dated November 16, sought to know why the Commission had not initiated action against the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who appealed the public to vote based on religion.

In his letter, Desai wrote that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during campaigns in Madhya Pradesh, urged the public to vote for BJP and promised to arrange free-of-cost 'darshan' of Ramlala in Ayodhya.

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Desai's letter read, "I, on behalf of our party, am curious to get enlightened by the Commission's stand on publicly made utterances by the leaders of the Bhartiya Janta Party ("BJP") who have asked the public to vote on the ground of religion, more particularly, during election campaigning in Madhya Pradesh Shri Amit Shah, who has openly called the public to elect BJP in power on a promise to arrange free of cost darshan of Ramlala in Ayodhya, once elected."

He further said, "Pertinently, Amit Shah also reminded the voters about the cost implication of having darshan of Ramlala and promised that everyone will have free darshan of Ramlala once the BJP is re-elected in Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, the Hon'ble Prime Minister, while addressing a public rally during the Karnataka assembly elections, overtly appealed to the people at large to chant Bajrang Bali ki Jai and press the voting button on EVM. Further, Shri Shah's promise for free Darshan of Ram temple should not be confined to the people of Madhya Pradesh but be made applicable to all Hindu citizens of India that too as many times as they wish and according to their convenience."

He stated that he was seeking elaboration on the matter as no politician was allowed to speak about religion since it is not permitted by the code of conduct laid down by the ECI.

He said, "It was only the founding father of our party Hinduriday Samrat Shri Balasaheb Thackeray who coined the phrase 'Garv se Kaho Hum Hindu Hain' and proclaimed the 'Nirman of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya' with the slogan 'Mandir wahi banayenge', however, under the terminology of 'corrupt practices' he was banned from exercising his voting right, the fundamental right accorded to a person in Democracy, for six years for speaking about his religion during an election campaign. We would like to know if and when the ECI has changed its model code of conduct since then."

He then slammed the ECI and said that the double standards applied by the Commission are "intriguing" but "understandable" since it is publicly perceived to be in alignment with the BJP's actions during elections or otherwise.

He further wrote, "We will be obliged if the Commission were to clarify to the Shiv Sena about the use of religion in the course of state and the Lok Sabha election in 2024. That will help all political parties for we will all get to know what the Commission believes are the contours of the standards required when it comes to the use of religion, religious symbols, idioms and language, including propagating Hindutva, consistent with the standards adopted by the Commission in the past. That will ensure that the Commission does not apply double standards in this regard"