By Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : National daily ‘The Economic Times’ has featured a cartoon that features Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary pointing at a helicopter and a bicycle, with the following caption: “Bololand People’s Front’s Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary believes in equality, so it seems. Recently, he asked the EC to bar PM, CMs and other ministers from campaigning in the local polls. ‘Provide us (regional parties) helicopters to campaign or give them bicycles’, suggested Daimary for a fair play in the elections. His party is an ally of the BJP-led government in Assam.”  The cartoon depicts Daimary’s stand regarding Ministers using Government money to campaign for elections. “The Ministers fly powerful people to all corners of India to influence people, so I have asked the Election Commission to look into the matter and ban the use of helicopters. And in case they don’t, helicopters should also provided to local and indigenous parties”, Daimary said, while speaking to InsideNE.
“The Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers and other Ministers are also MPs and their capacity of power is more than any employee. So, they should not be allowed to campaign as they may partially influence the people. No such person, including the sitting MPs, should be allowed to conduct election campaigns”, he added. Daimary also stated that since the national parties have a good amount of money to spend during the election, they can reach more people as they have access to quicker modes of transportation. “So to make it a free and fair and democratic election, the Election Commission should either prohibit the use of helicopters by the economically stable parties or else the independent candidates should also be provided with all the facilities to campaign equally as all national parties enjoy,” Daimary added. Moreover, he said that the Government servicemen should not be allowed to attend any election rallies and publicity meetings and if they do so, strict actions should be taken against them including termination from job.News Sources By Inside NE.
