Ad row: Anna mum, supporters approach police

The complaint claimed that BJP's Delhi Unit had issued the ad.

A screenshot of the BJP campaign ad published in newspapers

Although veteran activist Anna Hazare himself has refused to comment on controversy surrounding his garlanded cartoon in an campaign advertisment issued by BJP, supporters of the activists have approached the local police in Ahmednagar, requesting them to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against those responsible for the act.

Although the complaint application submitted by Shyam Asava – who is a trustee on Hazare’s NGOs – and several others did not name any BJP worker, it claimed that the party’s Delhi Unit had clearly issued the advertisement and had also stood by it when the controversy broke out and TV channel played it throughout the day.

They demanded that those who issued the ad should be booked under sections of Indian Penal Code 153 (promoting enmity between groups), 504 (Intentinal insult causing breach of peace), 268 (Public Nuisance), 294 (obscene acts causing annoyance to pubic), Article 66 of Information Technology Act (sending offensive messages through communication service).

“In the advertisement published on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a cartoon has been published which shows respected Annaji’s garlanded picture put on a wall. Thus, this ad portrays a living man who is respected and loved by many, as a dead person.

This is a mischievous act aimed at deliberately hurting the sentiments of the lakhs of supporters of Anna Hazare. This incident be thoroughly probed and complaint should be registered by the police against the offending persons who issued the ad in question on behalf of the BJP,” reads the application submitted by the supporters.

Ahmednagar Police confirmed that they received the application. They said a first information report has not been recorded as they are still investigating the matter.

First uploaded on: 01-02-2015 at 00:39 IST

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Anna Hazare

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