Congress Alleges BJP's Hate Campaign Backfired in Jharkhand Amid Election Controversy

The Congress party has claimed that the BJP's campaign of spreading hate has backfired in Jharkhand. This comes after an FIR was filed in Ranchi against the BJP's state unit for allegedly posting misleading videos on social media. The cybercrime police station in Ranchi has also requested the removal of these posts under Section 69A of the IT Act, according to sources.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lodged a complaint with the Election Commission on Sunday. He alleged that the BJP's official social media handles for Jharkhand posted videos with baseless claims. These videos were said to unduly influence voters and discourage them from supporting opposition parties during the ongoing assembly elections in Jharkhand.

Election Commission's Response

Following Ramesh's complaint, the Election Commission directed the police to register a case. Ramesh expressed satisfaction over this action, stating, "A malicious social media post designed to foment division, polarise and mislead voters has been taken down following our complaint to the ECI demanding an FIR." He further warned that the BJP should brace itself for a harsher verdict on June 23.

The FIR was officially filed on Sunday at Ranchi's cybercrime police station. It cited violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines and other legal provisions. The state is set to hold elections in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results expected on June 23.

Contentious Advertisement

The controversial advertisement allegedly targeted Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. It featured characters resembling these leaders, portraying them as anti-tribal while seeking tribal votes. In response, Ramesh submitted a memorandum urging the poll panel to remove all such videos immediately and take action against BJP's official Facebook handle for Jharkhand.

The BJP's actions have sparked significant controversy during this election period. The Congress party believes that these misleading tactics will not only fail but also result in a negative outcome for the BJP when election results are announced.