Following the nationwide launch of the ‘Mera Parivar-Bhajapa Parivar’ campaign last week, the Himachal Pradesh Congress has approached the Election Commission of India protesting against the hoisting of BJP flags on the houses of beneficiaries of Central government’s schemes, terming it ‘unconstitutional’.
The Himachal unit of the Congress has highlighted the issue in a letter to the EC.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has launched the ‘Mera Parivar-Bhajapa Parivar’ campaign, through which it plans to reach out to five crore families of party workers by unfurling its flags across the country.
Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Kuldeep Rathore told The Hindu that benefits to the people under various schemes were given by the government and not by a political party. Hence, it cannot be politicised by such a campaign.
“...the motive behind such action is to derive benefit in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The action is unconstitutional, coercive and breach of privacy of the individual. The benefits are given by the government and not by any political party,” Mr. Rathore has written in the letter addressed to the EC.
Urging the ECI to immediately ask the BJP to stop from hoisting party flags, Mr. Rathore wrote, “...these actions will send a wrong signal among the masses and create unrest in society. Hence, the Commission is requested to restrain the BJP from indulging in such action.”
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had on February 12 hoisted party flags on the houses of a few party workers at Chhota Shimla in Shimla, kicking off the ‘Mera Parivar-Bhajapa Parivar’ campaign in the State.