Amidst the bustling streets of New Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made assertions on Sunday regarding the Election Commission’s alleged prohibition of its Lok Sabha campaign anthem titled “Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge”. However, officials from the Delhi poll body refuted these claims, contending that AAP had been requested to amend the content of the anthem due to its infringement of EC’s guidelines and advertising standards.
Crafted and crooned by AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, the over two-minute campaign melody was unveiled at the party’s headquarters in the capital city on Thursday. Issuing a statement, the Delhi Chief Electoral Office elucidated that upon scrutinizing the advertisement submitted by AAP, the Media Pre Certification Committee, helmed by Delhi’s joint chief electoral officer, highlighted certain observations concerning various provisions and guidelines mandated by the Election Commission.
“The aforementioned creative/advertisement was returned, accompanied by the aforesaid observations, with a plea to rectify the contents of the creative as per the Advertising Codes stipulated under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, and ECI directive/norms disseminated via correspondence dated August 24, 2023, and resubmit after the necessary modifications, for certification,” the statement explicated.
Furthermore, it delineated that the party was duly informed that should it disagree with the committee’s decision, it retained the option to lodge an appeal before the state-level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. Prior to this, the Delhi poll panel had remarked that certain visual depictions and verbal expressions within the anthem constituted “defamatory” assertions and “critiques of the ruling faction based on unsubstantiated claims”, thus impugning the judiciary and law enforcement.
During a press briefing, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, Atishi, castigated the Election Commission, alleging its transformation into a “political tool wielded by the BJP” and its wilful ignorance of the latter’s transgressions. She vehemently asserted that the campaign anthem made no explicit mention of the BJP and remained within the confines of the Model Code of Conduct.
“It encapsulates authentic visual evidence and occurrences, be it the visual representation of Arvind Kejriwal’s apprehension, or the footage depicting police misconduct towards Manish Sisodia at the Rouse Avenue Court, or the harsh treatment endured by our volunteers during protests; each element is grounded in reality. Does the EC seek to suppress the truth? Does the electoral body aspire to conceal instances of police malpractice or the political exploitation of investigative agencies by the BJP?” she interrogated.
She further alleged, “This marks the first instance in the annals of our nation where the Election Commission of India has barred the campaign anthem of any party to impede their campaigning efforts. This is the very Election Commission that turns a blind eye to the BJP’s incessant flouting of the Model Code of Conduct. However, should AAP merely utter a word, it is promptly served with a notice.”
“When the BJP leverages the ED and CBI to incarcerate opposition leaders during the Model Code of Conduct, the EC registers no objection. Yet, if AAP dares to allude to it in a song, the EC lodges myriad objections,” she contended. Atishi asserted that according to the electoral body, the anthem “Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se Denge” tarnishes the image of the “ruling party (BJP) and investigative bodies”.
“What’s most intriguing is that despite the absence of any explicit reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party throughout the campaign anthem, the Election Commission of India deems critiques of authoritarianism as indictments against the ruling party.”
“In essence, the electoral body tacitly acknowledges that the BJP administers a despotic regime in this nation,” she appended. In its rejoinder to AAP concerning the anthem, the Delhi Chief Electoral office communicated that the phrase “jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge” contravenes provisions of ECI Guidelines and the Programme and Advertising Codes specified under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, sources disclosed.
They added that visuals depicting a throng brandishing a photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars insinuate disparagement towards the judiciary. Furthermore, clips portraying party members clashing with law enforcement allegedly incite violence, while scenes portraying Manish Sisodia being escorted by police cast the latter in a negative light, they divulged.
The Delhi poll panel contended that certain expressions constituted “defamatory” remarks and “critiques of the ruling faction based on unsubstantiated claims”, thereby casting aspersions on the judiciary. Asserting her party’s innocence, Atishi implored the electoral body “to take cognizance of the BJP’s daily flouting of the Model Code of Conduct and desist from obstructing the opposition’s electoral campaign”.
“I fervently hope that in the years to come, the elections of 2024 shall not be remembered as the demise of India’s democracy, wherein the Election Commission failed to maintain neutrality, wherein the Election Commission metamorphosed into a political instrument wielded by the BJP,” she concluded.