Delhi govt takes down anti-Modi advertisements

NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has withdrawn all anti-Narendra Modi advertisements following a rebuff by the court.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that prima facie the government was using public money on such advertisements in violation of the Supreme Court ruling.
Faced with growing resentment over wasting public money to glorify Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, an embarrassed provincial government announced that it was withdrawing all advertisements as a mark of respect to the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who died on Monday.
“The Delhi government instructs to remove displays/advertisements from outdoor sites as a mark of respect to the departed soul,” a Delhi government statement said.
The Supreme Court had in May this year put a blanket ban on using public money to glorify ministers and chief ministers, ruling only photographs of the President and Prime Minister can be used.
Kejriwal government found a via media by releasing advertisements on radio, television and hoardings and posters to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of creating impediments in his government’s functioning. The radio and television advertisements carried Kejriwal’s voice without showing his face.
“Prime Minster Sir, please let Delhi government work,” the advertisements said while blaming Delhi Police for a recent murder of a teenage girl by stalkers, requesting the Prime Minister to either devote half an hour per week for Delhi and fix responsibilities of the local Delhi Police or give the task to the Delhi government.
Delhi Police reports directly to the federal home ministry since law and order in Delhi is a central subject.
The Delhi Police chief B.S. Bassi had taken offence to the AAP advertisements and had challenged chief minister Kejriwal for a public debate, stating that his government was spreading falsehood to denigrate Delhi Police.
“Having regard to the fact that the Supreme Court issued strict directions … and keeping in view the averments in petitions, the Delhi government is directed to file its response furnishing the details of amount spent on advertisements in print and electronic media after the Supreme Court judgement,” a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath observed Wednesday while hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PIL) seeking ban on government advertisements.
The High Court also directed the provincial government to state the source of expenditure while posting the matter for August 3 for next hearing.