Election Commission directs Jharkhand BJP to remove campaign video showing illegal immigrants taking over a JMM supporter’s house

ECI took the action after a complaint was filed by Congress and JMM alleging that the video published by the BJP Jharkhand is rife with baseless allegations and falsehoods to unduly influence voters by creating feeling of hatred and enmity against JMM and its leaders.

The Election Commission of India has directed the BJP to take down a video posted on social media platforms targeting the JMM-led govt in Jharkhand amid the assembly elections. The EC directed the Chief Election Officer of Jharkhand to immediately direct BJP Jharkhand to take down the said post from the party’s social media platforms.

ECI took the action after a complaint was filed by Congress and JMM, objecting to the video titled “poore Jharkhand ka kaya palat kar denge” posted by BJP Jharkhand. The complaint alleged that the video violates the provisions the model code of conduct. The ECI agreed with the complaint, and the notice said, “it appears that the above referred social media post is prima facie violative of the MCC.”

“It is therefore, directed to take immediate action as per existing laws and procedures and thereafter direct the concerned social media platfoms, through the authority designated in the State of Jharkhand under section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to take down the referred posts immediately,” states the directive issued by the ECI to the CEO Jharkhand.

The CEO has also been asked to serve a show cause notice to BJP Jharkhand to explain the alleged violation of provisions of the Model Code of Conduct. The ECI directive said, The party may be immediately take down the said post and any related content from social media and any other form of media.

The video posted by Jharkhand BJP on social media purportedly showed the house of a JMM supporter with a banner of JMM outside the house. It also showed a poster with a photo resembling Hemant Soren, with the caption “pure Jharkhand ka kaya palat kar denge”. It shows a large number of alleged illegal immigrants entering the house to forcefully reside there. They take over the house, shocking the family.

It is shown that the immigrants are brought to the JMM supporter’s house by two locals. When the house owner complaints to them saying that the immigrants are destroying his house, the local persons say, “The govt that you elected brought these people here. Therefore, your house should also be destroyed, why only our colony?”

The video ends with the message, “Just one mistake will cost everyone”, an apparent warning against voting for the JMM-Congress alliance. It then says, “Now get ready to bring BJP”.

The complaint alleged that the video published by the BJP Jharkhand is rife with baseless allegations and falsehoods to unduly influence voters by creating feeling of hatred and enmity against JMM and its leaders.