Schoolchildren at PM Modi’s Coimbatore road show | Inquiry begins into poll code violations

March 19, 2024 11:06 am | Updated 12:37 pm IST - COIMBATORE

An inquiry has been initiated into an incident where schoolchildren were brought to participate in a roadshow undertaken by BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Coimbatore, on Monday, March 17, 2024.

As this would constitute a breach of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), inquiries have been initiated by the Joint Commissioner of the Labour Department and the Chief Education Officer. These inquiries aim to scrutinise the involvement of children from a government-aided school and the role of BJP members in having the children stage various artistic performances during the campaign.

Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati responded to The Hindu’s post on social media platform X regarding the matter, stating, “We have taken cognisance of the issue and the ARO has sought reports from the respective departments. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.”

Although the school’s headmaster was unavailable for comment, students present at the roadshow said school authorities instructed them to gather at the Sai Baba Colony junction two hours before the event. This was close to the starting point of the roadshow, which spanned a four-kilometre stretch between Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road and the Head Post Office in R. S. Puram.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) M. Balamurali said: “We have initiated an investigation. Prior to the event, all schools were explicitly instructed to abstain from such practices.”

Further, children under the age of 14 were observed dressed as Hindu deities, donning saffron-coloured cloth strips bearing party symbols, at various locations throughout the roadshow, performing on stages arranged by workers of the BJP. This is in violation of an Election Commission of India directive that states: “The prohibition extends to the use of children to create the semblence of a political campaign in any manner including use of poems, songs, spoken words, display of insiginia or political party, promoting achievements of a political party...”

We have taken cognisance of the matter are inquiring into it. ARO has sought reports from Chief education officer and Joint commissioner, Labour department. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry. https://t.co/B7TUaFZCdv — District Collector, Coimbatore (@CollectorCbe) March 19, 2024

Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) P. Suresh, speaking to The Hindu, confirmed these practices violate the MCC. “Once the inquiry is concluded, reports will be forwarded to the Election Commission for further action,” he said.