ECI issues notices to BJP’s Dilip Ghosh, Congress’ Supriya Shrinate for remarks against women

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued show cause notices to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for their remarks against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Kangana Ranaut respectively.

The poll body found the remarks of Ghosh against CM Mamata Banerjee, and Shrinate’s against Kangana Ranaut to be ‘undignified and in bad taste’ and asked them to respond to the commission by Friday, March 29, 5 pm.

In both these notices, the EC said that the comments made by the leaders are prima facie violative of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in force ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

As per clause (2) of Part I ‘General Conduct’ of Model Code of Conduct for the Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates, criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, record and work. Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.

Supriya Shrinate vs Kangana Ranaut:

The Congress leader sparked a massive controversy after an objectionable post was made from her Instagram handle demeaning Ranaut, who has been named as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi for the upcoming polls.

“Can someone tell what is the current rate in Mandi (market)?” the now deleted post read. It was made next to a picture of Ranaut.

Shrinate later clarified that ‘many people’ have access to her Facebook and Instagram accounts, and someone from there made the ‘extremely inappropriate’ post.

The saffron camp slammed the grand old party for making such comments and accused the leader of intending to assassinate Ranaut’s character. The party said that the highly objectionable and indecent statements clearly show that the Congress has no respect towards the law of the land.

Ranaut also hit out at the Congress leader, saying every woman deserves dignity. “Dear Supriya ji, in the last 20 years of my career as an artist, I have played all kinds of women. From a naive girl in Queen to a seductive spy in Dhaakad, from a goddess in Manikarnika to a demon in Chandramukhi, from a prostitute in Rajjo to a revolutionary leader in Thalaivii,” Ranaut said in a post on X.

The party further filed a complaint with the state’s chief electoral officer, seeking legal action against Shrinate saying that the Congress leader has misused social media to try and demean its Lok Sabha candidate. “These remarks, derogatory and sexually oriented, which undermine the dignity of a woman are also in violation of the mandatory guidelines of the Model Code of Conduct.”

Dilip Ghosh vs Mamata Banerjee:

Amidst Kangana row, BJP MP from Medinipur Dilip Ghosh stoked a political storm by making objectionable comments against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

The party vice-president, who has been fielded from the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat this time by the BJP, on Tuesday mocked TMC’s slogan of “Bangla Nijer Meye ke chai (Bengal wants its own daughter)”.

“When she goes to Goa, she says she is the daughter of Goa. In Tripura, she says she is the daughter of Tripura. First, let her clarify…,” he said.

The comments sparked a major row with the TMC filing a complaint with the Election Commission against him over the comments, alleging that it violated the MCC.

The BJP also sought an explanation from Ghosh over his derogatory remarks and said that the comment was “unparliamentary” and against the culture of the party. BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said his party does not support such remarks about women and that too against someone who is a chief minister, and that is why an explanation was sought from him.

Ghosh, later apologised for his remarks and maintained that his party and other people have reservations about his choice of words. Ghosh said, “If it is so, I am sorry for that.”

He said he has no personal enmity with the chief minister. “This is not the first time that a controversy has erupted over my comments since I say it on the face of anyone who does any wrong,” he said.