6 May 2024: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has submitted a formal request to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to suspend the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) status as a national political party, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged use of unparliamentary language during election rallies.
In their letter to the ECI, the JMM expressed concern over Modi’s use of religious rhetoric in his speeches, which they argue violates the terms outlined in the BJP’s registration affidavit. The JMM emphasized that such language not only undermines the integrity of political discourse but also contravenes the principles upon which the BJP’s national party recognition was granted.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party signed an affidavit for its registration as a political party and was recognized by the commission as the national political party of the country. The use of religion by BJP’s star campaigner Narendra Modi in his speeches is not only inappropriate but also against the provisions mentioned in the affidavit,” the letter stated.
The JMM further stressed the importance of maintaining decorum in political campaigns, urging the ECI to ensure that BJP’s star campaigners refrain from making statements that could incite religious or sectarian tensions.
In response to the JMM’s demands, the party has called upon the ECI to seek clarification from the BJP within a 24-hour period.
A spokesperson for the BJP declined to comment on the matter when approached for a response.
The JMM’s request to suspend the BJP’s national party recognition underscores the escalating tensions surrounding the use of language and rhetoric in India’s political landscape, particularly during election campaigns.
