Fresh complaint to CEC over use of temple as office

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 7

Dissatisfied over the action against the BJP leaders by the district election officials over his complaint regarding the running of the party office at Shitla Mata Mandir here, Congress leader Sanjay Sehgal today moved a fresh complaint to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in New Delhi.

In his complaint, Sehgal has demanded the registration of an FIR against the BJP leaders, “I have come to know via an SMS that my complaint is disposed of. I have been told that a team visited the site and reported the matter. The BJP has violated the guidelines of Election Commission of India and the Supreme Court orders and they are liable to be penalised under the existing provisions of the model code of conduct.”

Quoting Sections 3, 5 and 6 of the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1988, that prohibit the use of religious institutions or funds of religious institutions for the promotion or propagation of any political ideas or political activity or for benefit of any political party, he mentioned, “As per the Act, every person connected with such contravention is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to Rs 10,000. Election Commission of India has already directed all DEOs and ROs to ensure that any violation of these provisions during election is dealt with firmly and FIRs/complaints are lodged under relevant provisions in the event of any offence.”

“But instead of taking stern action against the BJP, the officials concerned have disposed of my complaint by verbally saying on my telephonic call that the BJP has now given in writing that they are going to shift their political office from Shitla Mandir to 512, New Jawahar Nagar , Opp Daink Sawera Office, Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, Jalandhar,” the Congress leader complained.

Recalling a similar warning issued in 2013 on his complaint, Sehgal said, “At that time, then district president had given his submissions in writing. But again they are violating your orders. It’s like that every time the BJP does a mistake, your officials are not going to take any action against them. I want to know if your officials are not implementing the guidelines and norms framed by the ECI, what’s the use of making a law? Kindly lodge an FIR against the BJP for violating the Act. I have filed an online complaint on your web portal Chief Electoral Office Punjab, Samadhan on January 1 and again on January 5.”

Former BJP president Subhash Sud, when contacted, confirmed that he had given an undertaking earlier to the then Deputy Director Local Bodies-cum-Returning Officer Jalandhar (North) Pritam Singh. “We had then stopped all activities there,” said Sud, who is a practising lawyer too.

The election team that had visited the site a day before had reported that it found no posters or banners of the BJP in the temple building. The team contacted the district president Ramesh Sharma who committed that the temple building would not be used again for any political activity. The temple president Kunal also said that he would not allow any BJP activity on the premises and that the office of the party had been shifted.