BJP has requested that the EC order X, the former Twitter, to take down Rahul Gandhi’s tweet and to bring charges against him.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of violating the 48-hour silent period by tweeting on the Rajasthan polls on election day, according to a complaint filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The BJP has requested that the EC order X, the former Twitter, to take down Gandhi’s tweet and to report Gandhi to law enforcement.
In the contested tweet, Gandhi stated in Hindi, “Rajasthan will select free medical care, inexpensive petrol cylinders, interest-free agricultural loans, English instruction, OPS and caste census.” Go out and exercise your right to vote today in large numbers. Select the public welfare-focused Congress governance that is guaranteed. #CongressAgain.
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The 48-hour period of silence before the poll’s conclusion is defined in section 126 of the Representation of People Act, which was referenced by the BJP. A breach of section 126, which defines an “election matter” as “any matter intended or calculated to influence or affect the result of an election,” may result in up to two years in prison and/or a fine.
“This is a serious transgression by a prominent Congress campaigner. The BJP said in its complaint that the Commission should deal harshly with such a daring act on election day and that the offender should face immediate, severe punishment.
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In addition, the BJP claimed that Gandhi “has committed a deliberate act for influencing the voters by enticing them to vote for INC in the name of freebies, as well on the basis of caste considerations by referring to caste census as on the date of voting,” and that this constitutes a “corrupt practice” under section 123 of the Representation of People Act.
The BJP said that Gandhi’s tweet had already been viewed 230 thousand times as of 10.35 am on November 25.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress.
