10-24-2007, 06:10 AM
EC's 'no Ministers' photos on Website' order irks BJP
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Peeved at the Election Commission's steps in Gujarat, the BJP on Tuesday said it was adopting "double standards" and 'bias' in its attitude towards party-ruled Gujarat and Congress-run Himachal Pradesh.
The party's angry reaction came after the Election Commission issued instructions to the Gujarat Government to remove the photographs of State Ministers from its official Websites.
The party shot off a letter to the Election Commission saying "a biased attitude" towards Gujarat "may not augur well with the high standards of objectivity and impartiality which it should be perceived to have in the public eye for ensuring free and fair elections."
"We are at a loss to understand why such instructions have been given when Websites are not on par with advertisements in print and electronic media which caters to the general public," the letter said.
Moreover, the letter by party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "We are at a loss to understand why such instructions are being made Gujarat-specific."
"It would have been more appropriative if such instructions, if at all considered necessary, are made to have universal application," the letter said pointing out that no such instruction was given to Himachal Pradesh, where Assembly elections are held simultaneously.
The BJP pointed out that the Websites of the Central Government and its agencies and the PSUs carry the photographs of Central Ministers from Gujarat, but this usage was not restricted.
"If Ministers of State Government can make impact on the electorate through official Websites, can the Central Ministers not do the same? There seems to be no advice to them in this regard," it argued.
"We are constrained to observe that in various matters like transfer of senior officers, the Commission is perceived as having a double standard - rigidity in the case of Gujarat and laxity in the case of Himachal Pradesh," the BJP's letter to the EC noted.
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Peeved at the Election Commission's steps in Gujarat, the BJP on Tuesday said it was adopting "double standards" and 'bias' in its attitude towards party-ruled Gujarat and Congress-run Himachal Pradesh.
The party's angry reaction came after the Election Commission issued instructions to the Gujarat Government to remove the photographs of State Ministers from its official Websites.
The party shot off a letter to the Election Commission saying "a biased attitude" towards Gujarat "may not augur well with the high standards of objectivity and impartiality which it should be perceived to have in the public eye for ensuring free and fair elections."
"We are at a loss to understand why such instructions have been given when Websites are not on par with advertisements in print and electronic media which caters to the general public," the letter said.
Moreover, the letter by party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "We are at a loss to understand why such instructions are being made Gujarat-specific."
"It would have been more appropriative if such instructions, if at all considered necessary, are made to have universal application," the letter said pointing out that no such instruction was given to Himachal Pradesh, where Assembly elections are held simultaneously.
The BJP pointed out that the Websites of the Central Government and its agencies and the PSUs carry the photographs of Central Ministers from Gujarat, but this usage was not restricted.
"If Ministers of State Government can make impact on the electorate through official Websites, can the Central Ministers not do the same? There seems to be no advice to them in this regard," it argued.
"We are constrained to observe that in various matters like transfer of senior officers, the Commission is perceived as having a double standard - rigidity in the case of Gujarat and laxity in the case of Himachal Pradesh," the BJP's letter to the EC noted.