Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission over the use of photos from ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 for an election campaign. The Congress in its complaint mentioned that former cricketer Yusuf Pathan, who is Trinamool Congress’s candidate from Baharampur Lok Sabha seat, had used banners and posters which showed the winning photos from the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
“This is to inform you that Yusuf Pathan, an All India Trinamool Congress candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections from Baharampur (10 PC), West Bengal, has started using banners and posters and photos in different places in the said constituency which clearly depict the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2011 winning moments where the photos of our nation’s high profile cricket celebrities are there including the likes of Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar and others,” the complaint stated.
The Congress said that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 winning moments are a “matter of national pride as well as the sentiment that every Indian cherishes”.
The party said that the 2011 World Cup win “should not be utilised during election campaigns for petty material gain. Moreover, we think that this is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct which has already been imposed in the country.”
The Congress urged the Election Commission to step in and stop the “unethical and unlawful use of the photos of our national heroes during the election campaign.”
In Baharampur, Trinamool Congress candidate Yusuf Pathan face five-time congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.