Give helicopters to regional parties or give bicycles to CMs and PMs: Biswajit Daimary to Election Commission

Guwahati, March 6, 2019:

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: “Bodoland 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 if they don't, helicopters should also be provided to local and indigenous parties”, Daimary said, while speaking to InsideNE.

“I told the election commission that since common Government servicemen are not allowed to be involved with politics out of fears that they would be partial, and if they do, strict actions are taken against them, including dismissal. Thus, PMs, CMs, and other Ministers are also like employees and are like any other Government servant and should not be allowed to campaign as long as in the service of the Government", said Daimary, while speaking to InsideNE.

Daimary also bemoaned 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 and regional parties should also be provided with all the facilities to campaign equally,” Daimary added.