A complaint against union minister Piyush Goyal was filed with the chief electoral officer for flouting the model code of conduct by putting up hoardings influencing people to vote for the party which brought lord Rama. A spokesperson with the Mumbai Congress has demanded strict actions against Goyal for putting up such hoardings in the North Mumbai constituency.
A complaint was made to the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra on Saturday regarding the violations of the model code of conduct and electoral rules by union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, who is Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate from the North Mumbai constituency. According to the complainant Sureshchandra Rajhans, a spokesperson of Mumbai Congress and city president of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee’s slum cell department, Goyal has put up hoardings displaying religious symbols to influence people to vote for the BJP.
The complaint cites hoardings outside the Mogra metro station
The complaint cites hoardings outside the Mogra metro station in Jogeshwari (East) with pictures of Goyal and prime minister Narendra Modi with the quote “Jo Ram ko laaye hain, hum unko layenge”, which means ‘we will bring them who have brought lord Rama.’ Rajhans has alleged that such a hoarding is aimed at polarising voters along religious lines.
“It has come to my attention that at the behest of Piyush Goyal, votes are being sought in the name of religion. The Model Code of Conduct and The People’s Representation Act 1951 prohibits appealing for votes on the basis of religion and usage of religious symbols. The BJP has flagrantly violated these rules,” said Rajhans.
Hoardings saying “Ab ki baar Modi sarkar”
The complainant also mentioned various other hoardings pulled up at different locations in the constituency including posters with pictures of the PM with a message of “Ab ki baar Modi sarkar”. The Congress spokesperson has demanded that prompt and exemplary action be taken against Goyal as well as Modi, who is a candidate from the Varanasi constituency, for violation of the rules.
“These hoardings have been put up at multiple spots around the Mogra metro station and at various places in the constituency. The violations of the electoral rules and the model code of conduct are extreme and Mumbai Congress demands strong action against both the candidates in this matter,” Rajhans told the Free Press Journal.
