THE first major action has been taken against violation of code of conduct in Korba Lok Sabha with a notice being served to BJP candidate Saroj Pandey for alleged breach of the code of conduct. This pertains to the dissemination of political messaging disguised as religious Katha. Shri Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, Dhirendra Shastri narrated Shri Ram Katha in Chirmiri under Korba Lok Sabha constituency, on 26th April. Conditional permission was given to organize the Katha at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Godripara Chirmiri. Ashok Srivastava, President of District Congress Committee MCB (Chhattisgarh) had complained to the Assistant Returning Officer, No. 4, Korba Lok Sabha, and informed that the endorsement of the said programme was done by BJP candidate Saroj Pandey. Such activities involved the display of flex banners featuring images of ministers, alongside numerous instances of Saroj Pandey's photo flex being affixed to government electric poles within the Municipal Corporation Chirmiri and Manendragarh Municipality.

 

These actions constitute a breach of the code of conduct, prompting calls for the cancellation of the Katha event. In the videography done by the flying squad and video surveillance party at the venue, devotees and visitors were seen to be welcomed by BJP workers. The party workers were seen offering and tying BJP scarves to the devotees, outside the said venue. This has shown that an attempt has been made to serve political interests under the guise of a religious event. The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate was allegedly engaged in political propaganda by affixing posters featuring the photo of Shri Bageshwar Dham Sarkar along with her pictures onto government properties situated in the squares and intersections of Manendragarh, Khandagwa, and Chirmiri within the Korba area of Lok Sabha constituency no. 04 Korba. This action unmistakably contravenes the model code of conduct. In this regard, a notice has been served to Saroj Pandey. Considering the Katha program as a program organized for political purposes, the expenditure incurred in organizing and propagating this program should be included in the expenditure account of the expenses incurred by the political party and it should be considered a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Saroj Pandey has been directed to present her explanation before April 29.