Congress to screen BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi if BJP depicts its leaders in poor light

No objection to BJP publicising its programmes in Mysuru, but will not tolerate depiction of Congress leaders in poor light, warns KPCC spokesperson M. Lakshmana

The Congress has threatened to screen the BBC’s documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi if the ruling BJP continues to depict the opposition party’s leaders in poor light in publicity campaign vehicles doing the rounds of Mysuru in connection with Karnataka Assembly elections 2023.

Addressing a media conference in Mysuru on March 1, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson M. Lakshmana alleged that BJP’s mobile vans fitted with LCD screens, which were going around Mysuru ostensibly to publicise the ruling party’s programmes, were also showing Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehur, Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar in poor light.

He urged the police to immediately seize the vehicles, which are allegedly mocking Congress leaders. Though the Congress will not have any objection if the BJP restricts its campaign to publicising its programmes, showing Congress leaders in poor light will not be tolerated, he warned.

“If no action is taken,” Mr Lakshmana said, “the Congress will carry out a similar campaign by launching vehicles with LCD screens to screen a documentary by the BBC on the violence in Gujarat during the tenure of Mr Modi as the State’s Chief Minister.”

Mysuru District Congress Committee president B.J. Vijaykumar sought to bring to the notice of the district administration that the publicity campaign by the BJP to paste posters on walls of government buildings and premises, had now spread to taluk headquarters.

After Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) took action against the posters in the city, BJP had taken its campaign to various towns in Mysuru district. Several prominent government buildings and premises in the taluk headquarters of Mysuru district were defaced with BJP’s publicity material in gross violation of the rules, he alleged. He called upon the district administration to immediately take action in this regard.