EC Asks Political Parties To Stop Broadcasting Kumar Vishwas' Video Alleging Kejriwal's Separatist Aspirations

The EC move comes after AAP registered a complaint with the poll body, claiming that the video interview of Vishwas was provocative, communally divisive and maligns the image of the party.

(File Photos/ Getty)

New Delhi: A day after Kumar Vishwas, one of the founding members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleged that there was a collaboration between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Khalistani separatists, the Election Commission on Thursday asked to immediately stop broadcasting/ telecasting of the video on social media and TV channels.

In its order, the poll body said that the video being played is against EC's instructions on the mandate of MCMC which lead to sheer violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The EC move comes after AAP registered a complaint with the poll body, claiming that the video interview of Vishwas was provocative, communally divisive and maligns the image of Aam Aadmi Party in the eyes of general public.

AAP has also asked EC to restrain Congress and other political parties from running the said video content. Political parties have been asked to stop playing this video on various social media platforms. 

Earlier in the day, AAP leader Raghav Chadha held a press conference and said that Kumar Vishwas' allegation is a "pre-planned malicious propaganda" and people of Punjab will not get entangled in it.

"The malicious, unfounded, fabricated and inflammatory insinuations made by Vishwas are not only demonstrably defamatory, but are redolent of promoting hatred ill will, and hostility in the society, in particular against the AAP," Chadha said.

He also pointed questioned why Vishwas didn’t make these allegations public before.

Responding to Chadha's claims, Vishwas said that what he said is true. "I have nothing to do with politics. Anybody can win or lose. Be it BJP, Congress, Akali Dal or AAP who wins polls, it doesn't matter to me. But what I said is true. I belonged to a party that I had formed, it has been taken over by wrong people," he told ANI.

I've nothing to do with politics; anybody can win or lose. Be it BJP, Congress, Akali Dal or AAP who wins polls, it doesn't matter to me. But what I said is true. I belonged to a party that I had formed, it has been taken over by wrong people: Kumar Vishwas on Raghav Chadha's PC pic.twitter.com/DqCkuzb1Vh

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2022

Both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party were quick enough to attack Kejriwal over the issue. 

While senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has sought clarification from Kejriwal on the statement, BJP also slammed Kejriwal with Amit Malviya sharing a video clip of the interview on Twitter.