Amit Jogi, son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi and state president of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh, has raised this issue with the Election Commission, drawing the authority’s attention to the violation of the model code of conduct
New Delhi: National Herald seems to be in the news again and for the wrong reasons. Chhattisgarh leader Amit Jogi has now complained to the Election Commission of India that the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government has violated the model code of conduct by giving government advertisements worth Rs 50 lakh. Jogi has alleged the ads were given after the code of conduct came into play.
In a letter addressed to the Chhattisgarh election commissioner, Jogi has written, "The daily newspaper National Herald associated with the Indian National Congress, has been given the amount of Rs 50 lakh as an advertisement by the state government. This newspaper has no dominance in Chhattisgarh, nor any office. It has only been done with the intention of reaching its political party with the benefit of public money."
Amit Jogi is the son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi and state president of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. The scathing letter comes a day after the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), publisher of the National Herald, moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi high court ruling that directed it to vacate its building at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. Better known as Herald, the newspaper is widely seen as a Congress mouthpiece.
Apart from raising the issue of government ads of Rs 50 lakh to a newspaper associated with the ruling party of the state, Amit Jogi has also raked up the transfer of the police chief of Naxal-affected Sukma district, even after the code of conduct came into play. Jogi alleges this has been done at the behest of a minister.
After the election dates are declared, no state government or the Centre can transfer police or IAS officers. Any effort to do so is being seen as a violation of the model code by the ruling party.
In stern words, the opposition leader wrote to the EC, "There are brazen efforts being made by the state government to openly flout the model code by misusing the government machinery."
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.