A 48-hour suspension for Randeep Surjewala’s remarks on Hema Malini

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala was prohibited by the Election Commission on Tuesday from taking part in any election-related events, political gatherings, roadshows, parades, and even from speaking with print or broadcast media for a period of 48 hours following their determination that he had broken several rules of the model code of conduct.

The prohibition will go into force on April 16 at six o’clock. The electoral board made its conclusion after to scrutinising an alleged video from a Kaithal gathering that Surjewala spoke at. The Congress lawmaker is accused of making offensive comments against BJP MP and legendary actress Hema Malini while at the function.

The Election Commission sent Surjewala a show-cause notice on April 9 after a complaint against him. Surjewala responded to the notification on April 11 by stating that the “video had been doctored.”

But the Election Commission decided to prohibit the Congress leader from participating in any election-related activity for 48 hours, until the evening of April 18, after reviewing the video and determining that the Congress leader had, in fact, made the statements.

Surjewala was sent a show-cause notice by the EC on Tuesday for allegedly making “undignified, uncivilized, and vulgar remarks against Hema.” The Congress man’s statement was recorded on tape by the video surveillance team at the Pundri Assembly segment on March 31 in Faral village, according to the district returning officer of Kaithal, who recorded it. The EC dismissed the claim made by the Congress leader.

The Election Commission order stated, “The commission hereby strongly condemns the impugned statement made by him during the election campaign held in Haryana and reprimands Randeep Surjewala for the misconduct, without prejudice to any order/notice issued or to be issued subsequently to him in the matter relating to model code of conduct violations.”