Ban on PM Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat: Indians lash out at Congress; Twitter flooded with comments

Updated: Wednesday, September 16, 2015, 12:39 [IST]

New Delhi, Sept 16: Congress asked Election Commission of India to ban Mann Ki Baat programme till Bihar assembly election which is scheduled to be held in Oct 2015.

Congress claimed that Mann Ki Baat programme may give Prime Minister Narendra Modi a huge platform to campaign for his party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Congress leaders fear that Modi's speech during Maan Ki Baat may create problem for them during Bihar assembly election.

[No blanket ban on PM's Mann ki baat]

However, Election Commission of India on Wednesday, Sept 16 rejected Congress's demand. This was not the first time when the election commission refused to impose a ban on Mann Ki Baat.

The election commission earlier had claimed that Modi's speeches during Mann Ki Baat are intended for a nationwide audience. Hence, it cannot be banned.

Opposition parties earlier had sought similar ban on the programme during Delhi and Maharashtra assembly elections. Modi began addressing the nation through Mann Ki Baat from Oct 2014.

Though the election commission rejected Congress's demand on ban Mann Ki Baat, people of the country lashed out at Congress. Micro-blogging site Twitter was flooded with comments on Wednesday.