New Delhi, Apr 20:
Left parties have written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Saturday violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for elections and seeking action against him.
CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby and CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar wrote separately to the poll panel chief, alleging misuse of the public broadcaster to influence public opinion in states where polling is scheduled in coming days.
Baby, in his letter to the poll panel chief, called it a “serious violation” of the MCC by the prime minister, arising from the “misuse” of the public broadcaster, Doordarshan, to deliver a political speech.
“The content, tone, and messaging of the address can by no stretch of imagination be termed as governmental communication,” Baby said.
He said it was “blatantly political, targeting the opposition parties, naming many of them, and seeking to influence public opinion, including the voters of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, in favour of the ruling party”.