Garland on Anna caricature sparks row
NEW DELHI: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of ‘killing’ Anna Hazare on Mahatma Gandhi’s martyrdom day, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned the former for issuing a newspaper advertisement that featured a sketch of Anna Hazare with a garland around his neck and demanded an apology.
The advertisement was carried in several national dailies on Friday.
“On the day the Mahatma was assassinated, they have killed the second Gandhi (Anna Hazare) which reflects their narrow mentality. The advertisement is not only in poor taste it also goes against Election Commission guidelines. The Election Commission should take note and act appropriately,” senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.
The Aam Aadmi Party also demanded a public apology from the BJP.
“The advertisement has NIRMALA SITHARAMAN, BJP leader
stemmed from their frustration and despondency. If they have an iota of shame left they should publicly apologise for indulging in such negative campaigning,” Singh said.
Earlier in the day, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, on Twitter, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of killing Anna Hazare.
“Nathuram Godse killed Gandhiji on this day in 1948. BJP has killed Anna in its advertisement today. Shudn’t BJP apologise?” (sic) he tweeted.
The BJP, however, said that the advertisement was just a caricature.
“First of all it’s a caricature. It symbolises the fact that Aam Aadmi Party has been completely insincere to that (anticorruption) movement when his (Anna Hazare) association
was there and in a symbolic way has continuously worked against the interest of that movement. And therefore it is an expression of that,” said Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Election Commission stated that it had neither examined the advertisement nor received any complaint.
“We do not give permissions for print and outdoor advertisements. Pre-certification is only done for electronic advertisements. But advertisements have to follow the model code of conduct guidelines by Election Commission of India. So far we have not received any complaints, but we can take self cognizance if a violation is found,” said Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhushan Kumar. ASHOK KUMAR, auto driver