The Election Commission of India has asked microblogging platform X to remove an animated video posted by Karnataka BJP with anti-Muslim rhetoric to attack the Congress, alluding that the party is starving SC,ST and OBC members by providing funds to Muslims.
The video shows a nest with three eggs labelled ‘SC’, ‘ST’ and ‘OBC’, to which a caricature of Rahul Gandhi adds a larger egg labelled ‘Muslims’. The eggs hatch and the bird that emerges from the egg named ‘Muslim’ seems bigger than the others and wears a skull cap and has a beard. Rahul Gandhi is shown feeding the larger bird “funds” while all the others are left hungry. Eventually, the bird grows larger and eliminates others.
In a communication to the nodal officer of X on May 7, EC said that the microblogging platform was already informed on May 5 through Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer that the post was violative of Section 79(3)(b) of Information Technology Act and rule 3(1)(d) of The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
“However, the post has not been taken down yet. Therefore, X is directed to take down the post immediately. This is issued with the approval of the competent authority,” it added. The official communication came as the two-phase Lok Sabha election in Karnataka was about to conclude. Congress, along with several civic groups in Karnataka, had submitted a petition with the ECI asking the poll body to take action against the BJP over the video. Karnataka police had also registered a case against BJP National President JP Nadda, social media in-charge Amit Malviya and Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra.