Social Media is abuzz with criticism of the ruling regime’s blatant misuse of the Indian Army: in its posters in western Uttar Pradesh, a state going for the polls in March 2017. This is not the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been desperate to appropriate for itself the image and gains of the Indian army.
Senior journalist Om Thanvi says,
"यह मूर्खतापूर्ण हरकत है, सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक पर राजनीति करना और सेना को भी उसमें घसीट लेना। भाजपा को यह काम राष्ट्रहित में बंद कर देना चाहिए।"
On social media here are some comments:
पहले श्री राम के नाम पे वोट
फिर हिंदुत्व के नाम पे वोट
कुछ काम नहीं आ रहा तो जवान के नाम पे ?
अरे एक बीजेपी का नेता या उसका बेटा पाकिस्तान के साथ में लड़ाई किया हो नाम बतावो …
जवानों के नाम पे राजनीती बंध करो
शर्म करो शर्म
AAP: Release video evidence of surgical strikes now.
BJP: No, we will release it only before elections, we have nothing else to show. For now be happy with posters praising BJP govt instead of Army for Surgical Strike.
Pic from (Muzaffarnagar) U.P
जवानों के नाम पे राजनीती बंध करो
शर्म करो शर्म
अरे सरकार वीज़ा क्यों देता है
यह शहीदों का अपमान नहीं है ?
This is not the first time that the BJP is misusing and maligning the name of the Indian Army by politicizing its use. It did so earlier too in 2012.
New Delhi: On the request of the Army, the Defence Ministry, on Wednesday, is expected to take up with the Election Commission the issue of a photograph of Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh used on a BJP poll poster in Madhya Pradesh.The photograph showed Gen Bikram Singh saluting martyrs in Jammu along with two other senior officers.
The Army request has been received and the issue is expected to be taken up with the Election Commission on Wednesday, Defence Ministry sources said.
The Army wants its sentiments to be conveyed to political parties, they said.
Congress has already sought derecognition of BJP in the wake of the advertisement issued by it in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, saying the national flag and the photo of the Army Chief have been "misused".
Party spokesman Meem Afzal had said the AICC has approached the Election Commission over the advertisement which gives a "negative" image of Congress.
The complaint was against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP chief Narendra Singh Tomar.
Afzal alleged that BJP was seeking to drag the Army chief in politics by using his photo.