CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby and CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar have individually submitted letters to the chief of the election panel, alleging the exploitation of the public broadcaster to sway public opinion in states where elections are impending.
In his letter, Baby described the situation as a ”serious breach” of the MCC by the prime minister, stemming from the ”misuse” of the public broadcaster, Doordarshan, for delivering a political address. ”The content, tone, and messaging of the address can by no means be characterized as governmental communication,” Baby remarked.
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He characterized the address as ”overtly political, targeting opposition parties, specifically naming several, and attempting to sway public sentiment, particularly among voters in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, in favor of the ruling party.” This, he argued, represents a ”flagrant violation” of the MCC provision outlined in Section 4 under the heading ”Party in Power”.
”Utilizing a public broadcaster as a venue for political messaging during an election by the sitting prime minister creates an uneven playing field and undermines the principle of free and fair elections, which is fundamental to our parliamentary democratic framework,” he stated.
He called upon the EC to ”acknowledge this violation and urgently initiate suitable proceedings against the Prime Minister and relevant authorities.”
CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar, in his letter on Sunday, noted that the prime minister’s address, delivered while the MCC is active in five states, was ”political in essence” and contained ”partisan assertions” and ”selective narratives” intended to influence public opinion on a matter currently under political debate.
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Kumar asserted that broadcasting the address on public platforms like Doordarshan and Sansad TV amounted to an abuse of state resources. ”Using publicly funded platforms for what is essentially a political speech represents a serious breach of electoral standards,” Kumar stated.
The CPI leader claimed that such actions jeopardize the level playing field that the election body is responsible for maintaining during elections. He warned that inaction could diminish public trust in the impartiality of the Election Commission (EC) and indicate ”institutional complicity.”
Kumar urged the EC to take ”swift and sincere action,” launch an inquiry into the issue, and ensure accountability to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
During his address on Saturday, the prime minister criticized the Congress and its allies for opposing the bill on women’s reservation in legislatures, stating they committed the ”sin of foeticide” and will face severe consequences from women. Modi expressed his regrets to the women and asserted that while the government may have lost the vote, it will persist in its endeavors to empower women.
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This address came a day after the Lower House of Parliament rejected a Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at increasing the number of Lok Sabha and assembly seats and implementing a 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures under the Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam.
