Improper Use Of Term ‘INDIA’: Police Complaint Against 26 Opposition Parties

New Delhi: A police complaint was registered on Wednesday against 26 Opposition parties for alleged improper use of the name ‘INDIA’ for undue influence and personation in elections, ANI reported.

Dr Avinish Mishra, the complainant, registered his objection to the name of the alliance and urged necessary action against the parties as the term ‘INDIA’ has hurt sentiments of the people.

“26 political parties have misused the name of the country,” the complaint stated.

The Opposition parties in question are Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JD(U), RJD, JMM, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), SP, NC, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, RLD, MDMK, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), VCK, RSP, CPI-ML (Liberation), Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).

Leaders of these parties met in Bengaluru on Tuesday to form a coalition — Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance(INDIA) — to take on the ruling BJP in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

The case against the 26 parties was registered at Barakhamba Police Station, under Section 2(c) of Emblems Act which defines ‘name’ to include any abbreviation of a name.

Section 5 of the Emblems Act provides for a punishment with a fine of Rs 500 to be imposed on any person found to be contravening provisions of Section 3 of the Emblems Act.

On Tuesday, Maharashtra BJP leader Ashutosh Dube also filed a complaint with Election Commission against the name ‘INDIA’, saying it was used by the Opposition for political gains and disrespected the dignity of the country.

“I believe that your intervention in this matter will help maintain the dignity of our nation and preserve the democratic principles on which our country stands,” the BJP leader said in his complaint.