BJP denies producing, distributing CD, urges EC to withdraw notic

New Delhi, Apr 6 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today asserted that it had not ''produced, prepared, displayed or distributed the impugned CD'' and urged the Election Commission to withdraw its notice as the controversial CD never formed a part of official campaign material of the party.

In its reply to the Election Commission's notice to the party regarding the controversial CD containing ''objectionable'' remarks against Muslims and visuals of Godhra arson and the Babri masjid demolition, BJP National Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said ''the CD was not seen or approved by the BJP leadership.'' He pointed out that the impunged CD was not prepared by the party but some individuals and was inserted by ''someone in the office'' in the kit containing campaign material of the party which was shown at a press conference in Lucknow on April 3. The BJP inquired into the matter and removed party spokesman Manoj Mishra from his post.

''As soon as the mistake was brought to the notice of the party and Mr Lalji Tandon, the party on April 4, 2007 itself issued a statement clearly stating that the CD was not a part of the party's campaign material and had been erroneously put in the kit containing the other publicity material. Even the mistaken act of releasing the unauthorised CD was revoked by officially withdrawing the CD itself,'' he said.

However, Mr Naqvi said there was no question of taking any action against Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Lalji Tandon in whose press conference the CD was displayed as action against Mr Mishra has already been taken.

Pointing out that Mr Tandon had also issued a clarification and ''expressed an unqualified regret for this mistake,'' Mr Naqvi said these reports had already been published in the newspapers yesterday, thereby confirming that the acceptance of the error and the withdrawal of the unauthorised CD had already taken place on April 4 itself.

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