Responding to a complaint filed by the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), the Election Commission of India (EC) has warned the organisers of Mantranaad against giving political colour to their programme.

The EC has also directed the district election officers (DEOs) across Gujarat to videotape the programmes, (wherever it is held) and ensure that it is not used for any political purpose.

Besides, if any candidate addresses a gathering or shares the dais at this programme, the expenditure of the entire programme will be counted in the candidate’s poll expenditure, said an official statement issued here this evening.

An Ahmedabad-based vernacular daily had, on Thursday, carried an advertisement with a photograph of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and an emblem of the Art of Living printed on it, inviting the general public to participate in the programme at the Ahmedabad Education Society Ground, behind Door Darshan, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, on April 26.

A group of disciples of Sri Sri Ravishankar had organised similar programmes in different parts of the city a few days ago, apparently to lure the voters in favour of the BJP, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the state,” Congress leader Balubhai Patel told Newsline.

He added: “BJP candidate Rajendrasinh Rana had not only attended a Mantranaad programme held recently in Bhavnagar, but had also addressed the gathering there. We had then sent a CD of the programme to the EC, and urged it to initiate appropriate action against Rana and its organisers, for it clearly violates the Model Code of Conduct.”

… contd.