K’taka Cong files plaint with EC against BJP chief Nadda and others over alleged MCC violation

PTI, May 5, 2024, 1:25 PM IST

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday sought the Election Commission to initiate action against BJP’s national president J P Nadda and other senior leaders for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by posting a video on social media intimidating members of SC and ST community not to vote for a particular candidate.

In a complaint to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, the Congress mentioned about a video uploaded on social media platform ‘X’ by the official account of Karnataka State Bharatiya Janata Party @bjp4karnataka which is operated by Amit Malviya, the head of IT cell on instructions of J P Nadda, BJP National President, B Y Vijayendra, BJP State President and Social Media incharge- Karnataka BJP on May 4 at 5.34 pm.

”The said video posted on social media featured animated characters of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah. In the clip, SC, ST and OBC community are portrayed as ”eggs” in a nest and it also suggested Rahul Gandhi planting a big egg labelled as Muslim community. It is projected as though funds are being fed to the chick depicting the Muslim community, which then kicks out SC, ST and OBC community.” The letter also stated that nowhere in the Congress party manifesto has it been mentioned that allocations of funds to SC, ST and OBC community will be cut and the same will be diverted to the Muslim community. ”The BJP has been falsely accusing the Congress party of including Muslims in OBC category and with such false propaganda the saffron party has been soliciting votes during Lok Sabha elections,” it alleged. The KPCC further alleged that the video was posted on BJP’s official X handle with an aim to garner votes in Lok Sabha polls. ”It is clear that the video social media post by them is to intimidate members of SC/ST community not to vote for Congress party by projecting that funds reserved for them will be usurped by Muslims,” it said.

”The act of the accused person is to wantonly provocate rioting and promote enmity between different religions and is prejudicial to maintenance of harmony apart from intimidating members of SC/ST community not to vote for particular candidate and causing enmity against members of SC/ST community,” the letter added.

The KPCC has urged the poll body to initiate suitable action.