BJP advertisement does not violate code of conduct: Jaitley

Ahmedabad, Nov 30 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Arun Jaitley has written to the Election Commission stating that the BJP advertisement containing reference to Justice Banerjee Committee, was not a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In his letter, a copy of which was circulated to media here today, Mr Jaitley said, ''The BJP is of the view that the Justice Banerjee Committee was set up to subvert the truth and help the accused. The trial against accused persons is pending in the POTA court. The accused have been denied bail by the POTA court, the High court and Superme court. The issue of guilt of the accused is pending in the courts. Where then was an occasion for the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to appoint the Committee ostensibly to probe a railway accident?'' ''The Committee without the benefit of the voluminous evidence which has been filed with the chargesheet, gave a report that the fire occured from inside the train. This finding was intended to subvert the course of justice and help the accused. The accused now want to reply on this report in order to secure their release,'' he added.

''The attempt to help the perpetrators of the Godhra crime is legally improper and politically immoral. The UPA and the Congress deserve to be exposed before the people. The BJP has already said in the past what it said in the advertisement. It is our fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a) to express our view to the electorate on a live political issue,'' he stated.

''We would therefore request the EC to fix a hearing and give us an opportunity of a hearing in case you intend to pass any order on the Congress Party's complaint,'' Mr Jaitley said.

UNI