India
‘Prime Minister Modi’s campaign cannot be given priority’: Congress writes to EC over delay of Rahul’s helicopter | India News – Times of India
“There must be a level playing field in campaigning. The Prime Minister’s campaign cannot be given priority over everyone else’s. Today, Rahul Gandhi was delayed in Jharkhand due to this,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a message on X.
The Congress has alleged that Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha helicopter Rahul Gandhi faced a 45-minute delay in obtaining air traffic control (ATC) clearance, resulting in disruptions to his scheduled public meetings.
The party further alleged that the delay in Rahul’s helicopter schedule was a deliberate attempt to disrupt his campaign, and the ATC prioritized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting at Deoghar over Gandhi’s moves, indicating favoritism.
Ramesh, addressed the letter to the Election Commission seeking urgent intervention to maintain electoral fairness. He clarified that Rahul was visiting Jharkhand for a Congress election rally and had taken all necessary permissions for travel across the state and planned election events.
He explained that as per the approved schedule and permissions, Gandhi and his team would leave from Godda for various locations in the state at 1.15 pm.
“However, their mode of travel, which was allowed to fly at 1.15 pm IST, was not allowed to fly. They were informed that due to the protocol of other leaders in the area, a no-fly zone restriction had been imposed. In fact, due to the said delay, all subsequent programs of Shri Rahul Gandhi (for which prior permission had been obtained) are now postponed or cancelled,” Ramesh wrote in his complaint.
“We urge your Commission to intervene in this situation and ensure that the level playing field is not disturbed in such a way. If such a situation is allowed to continue, the ruling regime and its leaders can always abuse such protocols and restrict the election campaign of opposition leaders,” Ramesh added.
Earlier in the day, Deepika Pandey Singh, MLA and Congress candidate from Mahagama constituency, said that, “Just because the Prime Minister is in Deogarh, Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to cross that area… There is a protocol which we understand, but Congress ruled the country. for 70 years and no such incident has happened to any opposition leader… This is not acceptable.”
Congress leader BV Srinivas said, “BJP’s brutal tactics exposed! A two-hour delay in take-off of Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter on Birsa Munda’s birthday due to ATC clearance is nothing but an attempt to deter him from campaigning to perform.”
