New Delhi: BJP party’s Model Town candidate Kapil Mishra has been banned from campaigning for the next 48 hours over his controversial tweets saying February 8 Delhi polls will be a contest between “India and Pakistan” and that AAP and Congress have created a “mini Pakistan” at Shaheen Bagh by the EC today.
The EC placed ban a day after an FIR was lodged against him on the direction of Model Town Returning Officer under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act.
The section deals with creating enmity among classes.
The ban was ordered by the Chief Election Commissioner and two fellow Election Commissioners, which will not come into force from 5 PM today.
Previously the EC had directed Mishra to remove his tweets and a showcause notice was also issued to him by RO Banbari Lal for “violation of poll code”.
Mishra’s response to the notice was found unsatisfactory, by the RO.
Responding to RO, Mishra said his comments had been “taken out of context” on his comparison of Shaheen Bagh to Pakistan, he said, “It is likely that in these protests, there are separatists and rogue elements from across the border, using women to propagate their seditious ideals and hurt India administratively and economically.”
Responding to the India vs Pakistan tweet, he said he “merely referred to two countries, two entities who are not involved in any election process…at present”.