Unfazed by the 48-hour gag order of Election Commission, the Bahujan Samaj Party said that the “illegal and unconstitutional” order of the poll panel could not browbeat party chief Mayawati.

On Monday, the Election Commission barred Mayawati from holding public meetings, processions, rallies, roadshows and interviews, and utterances in the media (electronic, print, social media) in the election for 48 hours ending on late Wednesday evening.

Accusing the Election Commission of working under the pressure of the ruling BJP, the BSP said that members of the Bahujan Samaj would take the voice of party chief to every household of the state.

“The Election Commission has succeeded in preventing Mayawati from campaigning for 48 hours but it is using a different yardstick for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who are daily stoking communal hatred during poll campaigns. The Election Commission is turning a blind eye to violations of Model Code of Conduct by top BJP leaders,” said BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra while addressing a rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Agra on Tuesday.

“The Election Commission not only works under BJP pressure, it also nurses anti-Dalit mindset. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are violating the Model Code of Conduct with impunity but the Election Commission lacks the guts to issue notice to both,” Mishra alleged.

Defending the BSP chief, Mishra said, “During the Deoband rally on April 7, Mayawati was compelled to appeal to the people as the Chief Minister was creating communal divide by referring to ‘Ali’ and ‘Bajrangbali’. Besides, Modi has been warned against using defence services in his speech but he continues to do so.”

“Mayawati never appealed on the basis of religion or community. She appealed to Sarva Samaj, cautioning them to prevent division of votes on basis of religion. The BSP believes in both Ali and Bajrangbali as both are dear to us and none is stranger,” the BSP general secretary said.

Accusing the Election Commission of issuing unilateral gag order, Mishra said, “The notice was issued on April 8 and Mayawati was asked to file her reply within 24 hours. We were not given the copy of the CD and not given the opportunity of explaining our side in the matter.”

The BSP leader said that the BJP was worried by the large crowds at Mayawati’s rallies and hence it used the Election Commission to muzzle her.