BJP ads ban: Congress lauds EC

The Congress Party on Friday welcomed the Election Commission's (EC) decision to ban the two "controversial" advertisements of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in poll-bound Bihar, and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah should apologise to the nation.

"The Election Commission of India, on an application made by Congress, JD (U) and RJD, has now banned the inflammatory advertisement by BJP by declaring them as inflammatory, divisive and those spreading hatred in the society," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

"We welcome the EC's decision, now demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah apologise to people of Bihar and also to the entire nation. We also demand that a criminal be lodged against Prime Minister Modi for using the name of caste and sub-caste," he added.

Earlier, in an advisory, the Commission asked to the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that the two advertisements were not published in any newspaper or journal Saturday onwards, till the election process was over.

One of the advertisements alleges RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are snatching plates of Dalits by planning to transfer the quota meant for Dalits to minorities.

Another advertisement deals with "vote bank politics". The advertisements have already been published prominently in Hindi dailies coming out from Patna.