Gujarat Elections 2012: Congress uses pic of a Sri Lankan child to portray malnutrition

NEW DELHI: A publicity campaign by the Gujarat Congress meant to show the NarendraModi government in poor light has boomeranged on the party.
Congress was caught on the wrong foot when it was revealed that the photograph it used in its posters to portray alleged malnutrition among Gujarati children was that of an emaciated Sri Lankan child.

The advertisement, which appeared recently in various newspapers and websites, said, "proper nutrition to 45% children in Gujarat: Missing".

The image of the child in the picture matches the picture of a Sri Lankan child and was allegedly lifted from the website of a Christian organisation, Amyand Park Chaple (amyand.com).

Congress slogan in the run-up to the state elections is, "Join Hands for Change".

After some websites published the full photograph of the child, survivor of a Lankan flood, in the arms of its mother, BJP leader Balbir Punj said: "Congress campaign in Gujarat has not been based on facts at all. It has been based on absolute fictitious facts."

In Ahmedabad, BJP spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar demanded an apology from Congress. "This is one of the proofs of Congress' character. It has resorted to malign Gujarat by spreading lies for the past so many months. They should apologise to the people of the state for showing wrong photographs," Bhavsar said.

Sensing that it was caught in an embarrassing situation, Congress' state unit asked BJP not to deflect the focus from the key issue of child malnutrition in Gujarat.

Although Congress had claimed that its campaign in the elections would focus on Modi's governance record, its campaigners were also engaged in name-calling.

The Election Commission had last week issued a show cause notice to Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arjun Modhwadia for his personal attack on Modi. Modhwadia had earlier this month called Modi a monkey and a person bitten by rabid dog.

"The commission hereby gives notice to you to show cause as to why action should not be taken against you, for the violation of the model code of conduct," the EC notice said.

The model code of conduct rules state that criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.