Didn’t violate SC guidelines on advertisements: Jain

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jaintoday claimed the AAP government has "not violated" anyguideline of the Supreme Court on advertisements while heaccused the BJP-led MCDs of spending money meant for dengueand chikungunya awareness on "self-glorification". A three-member panel, constituted by the Centre, yesterdayindicted the city government for splurging on advertisementsfor promoting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP inviolation of the apex court guidelines and asked the rulingparty to reimburse it. "The Delhi government has not given advertisements forglorifying its image. The government has not disobeyed anyguideline of Supreme Court," Jain said. The three-member committee, headed by former ChiefElection Commissioner B B Tandon, had been constituted by theI&B ministry on directions of Supreme Court to address issuesrelated to Content Regulation in government advertising. Hitting out at the three municipal corporations on theiradvertisment spendings, the Minister alleged the civic bodieshave put up hoardings having images of mayors and councillorsat several places across Delhi but nobody objects to as thesehoardings belong to BJP leaders. "They (MCD)are spending public money for glorifying itsimage. The money meant for awareness on dengue and chikungunyahas been spent on self-glorification," the city Home Ministersaid. The Central-government committee had received a complaintfrom Congress leader Ajay Maken who had accused the AAPgovernment of splurging public money on advertisements. In its order issued yesterday, the Committee came to theconclusion that "the government of NCT of Delhi has violatedguidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in sixof the nine areas listed by the complainant". The violations include "outstation advertisements, false/misleading advertisements, advertisements forself-glorification and to target political opponents,advertisements against media, advertisements mentioning theparty in power by name and also advertisements issued onincidents occurring in other states." PTI BUN TIR RGTIR