Lok Sabha elections 2019: BJP asks EC to stop religious bodies from issuing vote diktat
The delegation, led by BJP’s state spokesperson, Pratul Shahdeo, demanded the commission to deploy observers and camera men at these religious places and institutions, which issue diktat to people to vote for a particular political party during prayer meetings.
A delegation of BJP’s state unit submitted complaint with the election commission highlighting that religious institutions and places of worship were being used as a forum to coerce people to vote for a particular political party especially in Khunti parliamentary constituency, which will go to polls on May 6.
The delegation, led by BJP’s state spokesperson, Pratul Shahdeo, demanded the commission to deploy observers and camera men at these religious places and institutions, which issue diktat to people to vote for a particular political party during prayer meetings.
The delegation submitted the complaint to Jharkhand’s chief electoral officer.
The complaint alleged, “The BJP has concrete information that in Khunti and other districts, people were appealed to favour a particular party in elections by a religious group on last Sunday prayer meeting. We have also received inputs that such instruction would again be issued on coming Sunday.”
“It is a gross violation of the model code of conduct and the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, which bans use of religious places for the purpose of election campaign,” the complaint mentioned. Meanwhile, BJP’s Khunti Lok Sabha candidate Arjun Munda also appealed people not to get swayed by rumours spread by opponents.
