EC lodges FIR for Godhra posters

Patna, Apr 2: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday removed objectionable posters on Godhra riots in the outer premises of the Patna airport and lodged FIR in the matter.

"The case has been lodged because the posters were of objectionable nature. It could have been intended to harm the communal harmony," Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan told reporters. The Godhra posters mysteriously cropped up at the Patna airport outer premises yesterday.

Patna District Magistrate N Saravana Kumar, who had visited Election Commission office said, "The FIR in this case has been lodged against the person's name that is given in the posters".

He, however, did not remember the name written in the poster and said its being investigated. In a separate action, the EC today issued show cause to the BJP for putting up huge hoardings of the party at the airport without the permission from the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Lakshmanan said the AAI has given in writing that the BJP did not take its permission before putting up the hoardings and posters.

"The airport authority has been asked to remove them," he added. BJP state president Mangal Pandey said, "We put up the hoarding after taking permission from the EC officials, as well as, the Patna District Electoral Officer.

The AAI has given a five-year contract to one Third Eye Communication for hoardings so we gave them money for the space and following all the EC guidelines for putting up posters and hoardings. Even the slogans on the hoardings were approved by the EC."

"Nitish Kumar and Congress are trying to kill the spirit of democracy here by bending the rules. The BJP is going to move court on this issue," added Pandey.

PTI