The Hindu : National : EC panel rejected BJP's ads on foreign origin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 17, 2004

National

National

EC panel rejected BJP's ads on foreign origin

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, MAY 16. Even before the electorate rejected — as is being claimed by the Congress leaders — the Bharatiya Janata Party's issue of foreign origin, the Election Commission "did not allow" the BJP to have a "free run" when it came to making it [the foreign issue] part of their electioneering through advertisements in the electronic media.

It is believed that the Ghonkrokta Committee constituted by the Chief Electoral Officer for Delhi, Arun Goyal, at the direction of the Election Commission following an order of the Supreme Court, rejected at least two such advertisements of the BJP. In fact, the BJP was forced to withdraw over half-a-dozen advertisements, the maximum for any political party.

Highly placed sources, on condition of anonymity, revealed that at least two advertisements of the BJP depicted a "white-skinned" foreigner woman being rebuked by villagers. It is believed that the BJP withdrew the ad films at the direction of the committee. "Or else, these would be rejected, the committee told them," the sources said. Headed by the Joint CEO for Delhi, S.S. Ghonkrokta, the committee was constituted on April 16 to ensure that advertisements run by the political parties for their campaigning on the electronic media did not offend the morality, decency and religious susceptibilities of the voters. Also the advertisements, which derided any race, caste, creed and nationality or tended to incite people to crime, cause disorder or violence, were not allowed, sources said.

The committee also objected to the BJP films on the "Yamraj-Yamdoot" theme on the ground that this might offend the religious sentiments of some people and as such it was withdrawn. Another film titled "Gabbar" purported to be telecast in Rajasthan did not find favour with the committee as it depicted a police officer unabashedly praising the State Government.

In all, the committee received applications for 74 advertisements, of which 58 were certified. While 49 advertisements were approved by the committee in the first instance, nine were cleared only after the applicants carried the necessary deletion/modification in accordance with the observations of the committee. The remaining 16 advertisements were either withdrawn by the political parties or rejected by the committee. Sources said that before rejecting any advertisement the political parties were given a chance to withdraw the applications, so as not to cause them any embarrassment.

The film titled "Now it is the time" of the Nationalist Congress Party was the first film to be rejected by the Committee. The film showed the demolition of the Babri Masjid, burnt bogies of trains and riot scenes referring to the Godhra tragedy. Rejecting the film, the committee observed that it "offended decency, glorified violence and offended religious susceptibilities."

Other prominent rejected advertisements included that of the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the India Heritage Trust, a non-governmental organisation.

The film titled "Employment" submitted by the Samajwadi Party gave the impression that a large number of posts were being filled up by its Government in Uttar Pradesh. The committee rejected the proposal on the ground that it violated the model code of conduct, which prohibited a party in power to make promises.

Similarly, the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Congress was not allowed to telecast its films — "One bulb" and "Twenty Paise" — as they made a promise of a specific nature. Another film titled "Young Lecturer" was rejected as it asked voters to elect the National Democratic Alliance Government, even though the applicant, Delhi-based India Ahead Foundation, an NGO, had submitted in its affidavit that the film was not for the benefit of any political party, sources said.

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