Chennai, Mar 20:
The ruling DMK demanded that the Election Commission probe the use of school children by the BJP for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Coimbatore and also sought action against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for delivering “hate speech”.
Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said the administration is inquiring into the incident of the use of school children during the Modi’s roadshow.
Reports have been sought from the Chief Education Officer and Joint Commissioner of the Labour department as well, he said in a tweet on social media platform X, and added that “suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry”.
In a petition submitted to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo here, DMK Organisation Secretary R S Bharathi said appropriate action should be taken against the BJP for using children for a political campaign.
Steps should be taken to protect children from child labour and also prevent their participation in election-related work and campaigns, he said.
Bharathi said that children aged 12 to 15 were engaged for campaign activities and were made to wear clothes featuring BJP insignia. Further, they were made to recite poems and sing songs in a music display organised by the BJP during the roadshow on March 18, he wrote in the petition.
In a separate petition, he sought action against Nirmala Sitharaman allegedly for violating the Model Code of Conduct and delivering “hate speech” while speaking on the anniversary of Chanakyaa TV channel here on March 16, hours after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the general election.
