Election Commission Slaps 48-Hour Campaign Ban On BJP's Kapil Mishra For Communal Tweet

The Election Commission has banned BJP candidate Kapil Mishra from campaigning for 48 hours starting 5 pm on Saturday over Mishra's 'India vs Pak contest on February 8’ tweet. Earlier in the day, Hours Twitter also deleted Mishra’s post where he referred upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi as ‘contest between India and Pakistan.’ “On request of Delhi Chief Electoral Officer's office and as directed by Election Commission of India, Twitter has deleted Posts of BJP leader Kapil Mishra,” reported ANI. Earlier on Friday, Delhi Police lodged an FIR against Kapil Mishra. The FIR was filed after Delhi Chief Election Officer (CEO) Ranbir Singh wrote to police asking to register the case under the Representation of People’s Act. The FIR has been lodged at the Model Town Police Station under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, sources said.

In his reply, Mishra claimed that anti-India slogans were raised at Shaheen Bagh protests to ‘disturb the communal harmony.’ Mishra went on to say that even religious symbols were being ‘disrespected’ during the protests at Shaheen Bagh. The BJP leader said that he was merely responding to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’a pro-Shaheen Bagh statement. He claimed that Sisodia’s statement is a ‘blatant attempt to derive political mileage from a prevailing law and order situation on religious lines.’ Linking Pakistan with the Shaheen Bagh protests, Mishra claimed that there was a possibility that ‘rogue elements from across the border’ were present in the protests to ‘destabilise our nation.’

Mishra also cited the High Court’s order on a plea against Shaheen Bagh protests. He said that in name of dissent, a group is unlawfully squatting on valuable public space. He also appealed the Shaheen Bagh protesters to call off the stir.

On Friday, the Returning Officer issued a notice to Mishra over his tweet where the BJP’s Model town candidate had referred upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi as ‘contest between India and Pakistan.’ The notice has been issued after the Election Commission of India (ECI) sought a report from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on the BJP leader’s tweet.

“On 8th February there will be a contest between India and Pakistan on the streets of Delhi,” the BJP's candidate from Model Town had said in the tweet. In a series of provocative tweets, he also said Pakistani rioters have taken over the streets of Delhi. "No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic," the notice read.