AAP alleges bias as EC asks party to modify election campaign song

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged that the Election Commission prohibited their Lok Sabha campaign song, “Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge.” However, the Delhi election authorities clarified that the song was not banned but required modifications to align with the Election Commission’s guidelines and advertising codes.

The over two-minute campaign song, penned and sung by AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, was released at the party headquarters here on Thursday. The Delhi Chief Electoral Office indicated that the song needed to be resubmitted with changes as per the Advertising Codes under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, and the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) guidelines issued on August 24, 2023.

The Delhi election panel objected to certain images and phrases in the song, labelling them as slanderous and critical of the ruling party based on unverified facts, which also implied negative connotations about the judiciary and police.

At a press conference, AAP senior leader Atishi criticised the Election Commission, accusing it of bias towards the BJP and ignoring its infractions. She insisted that the song did not name the BJP or breach the Model Code of Conduct, citing it contained factual content such as Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and police interactions with Manish Sisodia.

Atishi questioned whether the Election Commission intended to conceal police misconduct or the alleged political exploitation of investigative agencies by the BJP. She claimed this was the first instance of the Election Commission banning a party’s campaign song, suggesting a double standard in its enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. According to Atishi, the poll panel believes the song portrays the BJP and investigative agencies negatively, despite no direct mention of the BJP. She interpreted this as the Commission’s acknowledgment of a dictatorial regime by the BJP.

The Delhi Chief Electoral Office responded to AAP, stating that the phrase “jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge” and certain visuals contravened ECI Guidelines and the Programme and Advertising Codes. It said that images showing a crowd carrying Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s photo in which he is behind bars cast aspersions on the judiciary, sources said. It also said some clips showing party workers clashing with police incite violence, while frames showing Manish Sisodia being escorted by police show the latter in a negative light, they said.

Atishi maintained AAP’s innocence and urged the Election Commission to focus on the BJP’s alleged daily violations of the Model Code of Conduct rather than hindering the Opposition’s campaign. She expressed concern that the 2024 elections might be remembered for the end of India’s democracy and a compromised Election Commission acting as a tool for the BJP.