The Election Commission on Wednesday barred BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh from campaigning for the Delhi Assembly elections for 24 hours for making “vitriolic” statements against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. It issued a warning to Mr. Kejriwal for a separate Model Code of Conduct violation.
The West Delhi MP had earlier been barred for 96 hours starting 5 p.m. on January 30 for making statements about the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh that were found to be objectionable and in violation of the code by the EC.
In its Wednesday order, the EC said Mr. Singh’s statement to a TV channel referring to Mr. Kejriwal as a “terrorist” was a violation of the MCC. This was a repeat violation by the BJP leader, the EC said, while barring him from campaigning for 24 hours starting 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Campaigning for Saturday’s Delhi polls ends at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Warning to Kejriwal
Meanwhile, the EC warned Mr. Kejriwal for his statement while addressing lawyers on January 13 where he promised to build mohalla clinics at court complexes if the land was provided. In response to the EC’s notice, Mr. Kejriwal’s lawyer submitted that the Chief Minister had attended the event organised by the Delhi Bar Association at Tis Hazari Court in his personal capacity, not officially.
The EC, however, said it found the statement to be made in his official capacity, and therefore a violation of the MCC. The “level playing field was disturbed,” the Commission said, adding that it condemned the statement. The EC said it “warns him to be more careful and exercise caution in future while making public utterances.”
