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Provocative ad campaign in Gujarat targets EC, NHRC

'Supporters' of the Bharatiya Janata Party have launched direct, provocative advertising campaigns through leading newspapers of Ahmedabad, attacking the Election Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Minorities, and all "anti-BJP" political parties and politicians.

The copy, in Gujarati, goes like this:

• Election Commission stands for whom? [Chootni punch kauna mate?]
• For the minority. [Laghumati mate]
• National Human Rights Commission stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Minorities Commission stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Congress stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Samajwadi Party stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Sonia Gandhi stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Laloo Yadav stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Mulayam Singh Yadav stands for whom?
• For the minority.
• Shankersinh Vaghela stands for whom?
• For the minority.

The answer appears in the form of graffiti on the walls of Ahmedabad.

• Who belongs to you? (Tamaru kaun?)
• Bharatiya Janata Party!

Reacting sharply to this campaign, Congress politician Narhari Amin told rediff.com, "This is a clear ploy by the BJP to divide society."

Amin, a former deputy chief minister of the state, said there was no doubt that the campaign had been sponsored by the BJP. "It's published to provoke the majority and get their votes," he remarked. "Since they can't talk of development issues they are resorting to cheap gimmicks, even making allegations against constitutional authorities."

Amin said the BJP did not want the state to return to normalcy until the assembly election was held.

But Purshottam Rupala, spokesman for the state government, denied this. "Whatever we do, the Congress finds divisive," Rupala told rediff.com "Anyway, this advertisement is not sponsored by the government. We don't know who sponsored it. You are the best judge."

Officially, an outfit called the Gujarat Gaurav Samiti has sponsored the campaign. But sources in the state BJP told rediff.com that the samiti, registered in the early nineties, consists of friends of the Sangh Parivar.

Gujarat Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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