Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP is not amused by Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena’s order against raising the Sabarimala issue in the elections and has sought his removal. The Congress has also toed the BJP line, but the CPM has welcomed the directive.
While the BJP has filed a complaint against the CEC, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the directive was issued by the CEO as per the Election Commission’s model code of conduct. The use of religious issues for polarising people on communal lines and garnering votes was violation of the norms, he said.
The BJP and the Congress had planned to campaign on the Sabarimala issue and corner the LDF government accusing it of failing to respect the sentiments of the believers.
CPM state secretariat member Anathalavattom Anandan said the Lok Sabha poll will decide who will rule the country. It is time to give a report card on the BJP government’s five-year rule. "The poll is for electing the central government and not Sabarimala tantri," he said.
Mr Meena has only quoted the clauses in the code of conduct. "If anyone wants to violate the norms let them do it. Later it will come up before the court and elected members can even face disqualification. This happened in the case of K.M. Shaji," he said.
Though there is no bar on political discussion on the Sabarimala issue, using it for inciting passions, making religious appeals to any particular community and appeals, verbal, printed or through video footage, to solicit votes will be dealt with sternly.
BJP state general secretary K. Surendran said the electoral officer had no right to give directions on the topics of discussions in the polls. “The CPM has been raising Babari Masjid issue in every election. But to say that Sabarimala issue should not be discussed at all is unacceptable,” he said.
BJP leader Kummanam Rajashekharan, who arrived here on Tuesday, said the CEO had no right to issue such a direction. “Today it is Sabarimala, tomorrow it will be a church or a mosque,” he said.
