EC Issues Show-Cause Notices to Dilip Ghosh, Supriya Shrinate For Objectionable Remarks

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC), on Wednesday, issued show-cause notices to BJP MLA Dilip Ghosh and Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for their respective remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Kangana Ranaut. 

EC said that their remarks were 'undignified and in bad taste.' The poll panel has sought a response by the leaders to the show-cause notice by March 29 evening.

The EC, advising the parties to maintain dignity during polls, also stated that the remarks by the two leaders, prima facie, were violative of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Shrinate, on Monday, had posted a video issuing clarification on the now-deleted objectionable post on Ranaut by saying, “Many people have access to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Someone from them made an extremely inappropriate post today. As soon as I came to know, I deleted that post. Everyone who knows me also knows very well that I can never make personal and indecent comments towards any woman. I wanted to know how this happened."

She added, “I came to know that my name is being misused on Twitter and a parody account is being operated, named Supriya parody. They made this objectionable post. Someone copied it from there and posted it on my Instagram and Facebook accounts. I am trying to know who has done this from those who have access. I have also reported this parody.”

Similarly, a controversy erupted on Tuesday after Ghosh was heard mocking the family background of Banerjee in a purported video clip.

In the purported clip doing rounds on social media and also shared by the ruling party in Bengal on X, Dilip Ghosh made fun of the Chief Minister's 'daughter of the state' claim and said, "She should first decide who her father is."

Ghosh, the sitting MP from Medinipur Lok Sabha seat, was referring to the TMC's 2021 poll slogan "Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chai".(Bengal wants its own daughter)".

The TMC sought immediate action against Ghosh, claiming a 'blatant violation of the MCC' as the poll body has in its guidelines stating that 'no political party or candidate should indulge in any activities or make any statements that would amount to attack on personal life of any person.'

Ghosh on Wednesday apologised for his remarks on Banerjee.