BJP re-runs PM's Madison Square Speech as ad, Cong complains to EC

Mumbai, Oct 13: After some Marathi channels on Sunday night retelecasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at Madison Square Gardens in New York, the Congress has approached the Election Commission on the issue. Saying that this is violation of model code of conduct, the Congress's Maharashtra state unit sent letters to the state and central election commissions complaining about this broadcast.

The speeches are being run with a disclaimer with an indication during the speech that it is an advertisement.

Alleging that many channels re-ran the speech without saying that it is an ad, the Congress accused BJP of misusing speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an official tour for their political gains in Maharashtra which will vote on Wednesday.

"PM Modi went to the US as a representative of India. To use that to win votes in a state election is not correct," said Ajit Pawar, the deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra .

Narendra Modi's half an hour speech at New York's Madison Square Garden while he was on his tour to US, is being aired repeatedly as a BJP ad on local channels in Maharashtra and it will be aired on some channels today also.

"You (Modi) didn't go to the US as a BJP leader. They should not have used the speech for the election campaign. The PM's office is an institution and he has the same responsibility as us in maintaining the dignity of the PM's office. He has reduced the prestige of the PM's post," Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying in ET.

BJP has called PM's Madison Square speech as The Speech That's Creating Waves across the World" and has also put out newspaper ads asking people to watch the repeat telecast today (on Monday).

Both the Congress and NCP are attacking BJP for using the speech and have said that this is a case of paid news.

Replying on this BJP said that it paid advertisement not paid news.

"This was a paid advertisement. Nobody should have a problem with it. The expenditure is reflected in our accounts. The Madison Square Garden event was private and organised by friends of the BJP. It was not a government function," BJP leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe told NDTV.

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