'Grow a spine' campaign launched against Election Commission
Several civil society and citizen groups across India have initiated a postcard campaign called 'Grow a Spine' against the Election Commission of India (ECI). This campaign is in response to its alleged "inaction" over violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the Lok Sabha elections. The groups submitted a joint complaint through Chief Electoral Officers in various cities and also to the office of the Chief Election Commissioner in Delhi.
Participating groups and campaign details
The groups participating in the campaign include the People's Union for Civil Liberties, the National Alliance for People's Movements, Bahutva Karnataka, the All India Lawyers Association for Justice, Shramik Mukti Dal, and Young Leaders of Active Citizenship. These groups have sent hundreds of postcards to the ECI in Delhi from various cities. Each postcard features an image of a spine, symbolizing their demand for the Election Commission to "Grow A Spine or Resign."
Accusations against the Election Commission
One of the reasons behind this campaign, according to the groups, is that the ECI has refused to share data about votes polled this year. They claim that only the percentage of votes polled has been shared, leading to fears of vote counts being manipulated. Another reason is the ECI's failure to fight hate speech during election campaigns. "Mr. Modi has made several speeches which pit communities against one another and promote hatred between communities on religious lines," they wrote.
Further accusations and demands from the collective
The collective further claimed that the ECI took no action even when an FIR was filed against a "hate-filled video" posted on the BJP's Karnataka handle. They accused the ECI of acting only against MCC violations by opposition parties while letting the ruling party "off the hook." The collective has called for a 96-hour campaign ban for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as an investigation into threats/incentives received by candidates in Surat, Indore, and Gandhinagar to drop their candidacy.
