The Election Commission of India on Monday warned BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for “derogatory remarks” against women. The poll body also asked them to be careful in public utterance, saying their election-related communications will be specially and additionally monitored by the Commission from this time onwards.
Both the leaders were served show cause notices by the ECI last week for their comments against Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, respectively.
The Commission was convinced that the two leaders made a low-level personal attack and violated the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The warning notices, issued on Monday, have also been sent to the respective party presidents asking them to issue specific advisory to all party functionaries involved in the election campaign.
“Party chiefs should sensitize and monitor their leaders’ conduct for any disrespectful comments,” the poll body said.
The Commission stressed that it considers the whole process of conduct of election as a major enhancer of status of women in India and is committed not to allow any erosion of this status in any manner during the election period under its own aegis.
“They have been warned to remain careful in public utterances during the Model Code of Conduct period. Their election related communications will be specially and additionally monitored by the Commission from this time onwards. A copy of the warning notice is also marked to party chiefs for sensitising their functionaries to be careful while communicating in public domain and refrain from any such derogatory comments and violations of MCC guidelines,” an official statement said.
What Ghosh and Shrinate Said?
Ghosh made objectionable and disrespectful comment against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, “which was broadcasted and widely circulated by various news media channels”.
Ghosh, BJP’s Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat candidate, had mocked Banerjee’s family background. A police complaint has also been filed against the BJP leader in this regard.
The notice to Shrinate was issued after a complaint from the BJP. The Congress’ national spokesperson came under fire over a derogatory social media post against actress and BJP’s Mandi Lok Sabha candidate Kangana Ranaut.
The post had a semi-nude picture of a woman with a caption in Hindi saying, “Will someone tell what are the rates in Mandi?” The post has since been deleted.
Both Issued Clarifications
Both Ghosh and Shrinate have clarified their statement and post. Ghosh on Wednesday said that he had “merely countered the political statements Mamata had given to mislead people”, adding that he “did not have any personal dispute, grudges or ill will towards Mamata Banerjee.”
Shrinate, just minutes after the social media post went viral, issued a video clarification saying, “Many people have access to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Someone from them made an extremely inappropriate post today. As soon as I found out, I deleted that post. Everyone who knows me also knows very well that I can never make personal and indecent comments towards any woman. I wanted to know how this happened.”
She sourced the image from a parody account on X on her name, saying it made the objectionable post first.
The ECI has announced the Lok Sabha polls in seven phases between April 19 and June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4.
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