Com. Nilotpal Basu writes to CEC

Date: 
Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Com. Nilotpal Basu writes to CEC on PM's remarks on Sabarimala aiming at communal polarisation
 

Shri Nilotpal Basu, member of the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Sabarimala temple, in his election rallies, aiming at communal polarization.  We are releasing the text of the letter for publication.

(Hari Singh Kang)

For CPI(M) Central Committee office

Dear Shri Arora ji,

We are constrained to again refer to an instance of flagrant violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi himself. To contextualize we had pointed out at the very outset, that the atmosphere is being vitiated in the election campaign by importing polarizing issues. Narendra Modi’s statements in election rallies in Ramanathapuram in Theni in Tamilnadu and Bangalore in Karnataka on 13th April are emphatic pointers to this trend.

While addressing the Theni rally, he asserted that the Communists and the Muslim League of playing a dangerous game on Sabarimala and initiating ‘to strike at the root of faith’. He asserted that: “as long as there is BJP none can destroy our faith.”

This is a clear example as to how Narendra Modi is not only violating MCC but also implicitly challenging the order of the Election Commission to refrain from using Sabarimala temple and Lord Ayyappa in the election campaign. To recapitulate, the LDF government has, time and again, reiterated that it does not stand against faith; but was confining itself to implementing the Supreme Court order. Bringing in the question of faith and accusing the LDF government in Kerala, the Prime Minster was trying to appeal to the people belonging to the ‘faith’ and which is clearly against MCC, as well as, your specific order. In these days of media and the internet, the restriction of geographical boundary does not hold.

We are witnessing that the Commission has passed certain orders against some political leaders. We have also observed that the Supreme Court had reminded the Commission of adequate powers which need to be proactively exercised to ensure restraint on the polarizing thrust of BJP’s campaign.

Since, the Election Commission of India itself is an independent Constitutional authority and the Supreme Court order was in the spirit of the Constitutional order, charging the communists and the LDF government for implementing the apex court order amounts to, not just vitiating the atmosphere but undermining the Constitutional order which defines the limits of the election campaign.

We, therefore, strongly urge you to take immediate appropriate action against the efforts of the Prime Minster and his role in the flagrant violation. We are attaching the clipping of the media report which has precisely reported on this violation.

Thanking you,

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

S/d

Nilotpal Basu

Member, Polit Bureau