The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
‘ Back statement with facts’: EC notice to Atishi on claim that BJP tried to poach her
THE ELECTION Commission ( EC) Friday issued a notice to AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi over her claim that the BJP approached her to join the party, and said she must be able to back the claim with facts.
The EC asked Atishi to reply to its notice by noon on April 8 with a “para- wise response”. The poll panel was acting on a complaint by the BJP Thursday which alleged that Atishi had made “misleading and unverified statements” at a press conference on Monday. She said the BJP had approached her, through a close associate, to join the party to “save my political career”.
In response, Atishi asked if the ED was a “subsidiary organisation” of the BJP.
The EC notice cited the Model Code of Conduct provision against unverified allegations and its March 1 advisory to parties to refrain from making false statements during the campaign. The notice to Atishi said, “... you are a minister in the Government of NCT of Delhi and leader of a national party. Electors tend to believe whatever is being said from the public forum by their leaders and in that sense, statements made by them affect the campaign discourse...”
“... it is expected there must be a factual foundation to the abovequoted statements made by you and when the veracity of the statements made by you is contested, you must be able to back your statements by a factual basis and whereas the matter is being examined by the Commission in light of the provisions of Model Code of Conduct and relevant electoral laws,” the EC notice added.
Reacting to the notice, Atishi said, “BJP had filed a complaint on April 4, and on April 5, news of the EC’S notice was on every channel. BJP claims the EC has sent a notice to me: I received it 30 minutes later. It appears the BJP is aware of EC’S notices in advance; so, my question is, are these notices being sent by the EC or by the BJP? I appeal to the EC that it is their duty to protect the democracy of the country. I would request them not to yield to the BJP.”