Modify campaign song, EC tells AAP; party claims 'ban'

NEW DELHI: EC has asked AAP to modify and change the contents of its campaign song, saying it violates several of its guidelines.
AAP minister Atishi, however, claimed on Sunday that EC had "banned" the song, alleging it had become "BJP's political weapon".

In a letter dated April 27, EC returned AAP's application for certification of the two-minute video advertisement, stating the phrase "Jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge", accompanied by visuals of an aggressive mob holding a photo of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars, "casts aspersions on the judiciary" and was, therefore, in violation of the guidelines.
Campaign clip casts aspersions on police: EC
EC also objected to certain clips used in the video depicting the police in a negative light. One clip shows former deputy CM Manish Sisodia being escorted by cops, with the phrase in the background, "gundagardi ke khilaf vote denge and tanashahi karne wali party ko hum chot denge" (we will vote against hooliganism and we will injure the party indulging in dictatorship).
Rejecting certification, EC stated, "The words and the clip tend to present the picture of police in bad taste. It casts aspersions on their working... and (is) defamatory and slanderous."
The poll body also said the campaign song included clips showing "aggressive mob clashing with the police". The video, it added, contained "slanderous remarks and criticism" of the governing party based on unverified facts, which went against EC rules.
The commission cited Rules 6 and 7 of the programme code while refusing permission. Rule 6 states: "No programme should be carried in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes."
"Therefore, the advertisement is hereby returned with the request to modify the contents of the creative as per the Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994," EC said.
EC's letter stated that the campaign song may be "resubmitted after modification for certification".
AAP has been using the phrase "Jail ka jawaab vote se" frequently as a slogan during its campaign rallies. The phrase was coined by its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh during a speech the day he was released on bail in the liquor policy case.