New Delhi: Rinku Singh, a cricketer, has been relieved from the role of state icon for Uttar Pradesh’s Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program. Singh’s neutrality was questioned following his recent engagement with Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Priya Saroj, prompting the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh, with consent from the ECI, to take this action. The ECI sent a letter to district election officers mandating the removal of all promotional materials, including video and digital content, with Rinku Singh’s depiction. This reinforces the Election Commission’s efforts to eliminate any bias within the voting promotional campaigns. The engagement of Rinku Singh and Priya Saroj, the freshly elected SP Member of Parliament from Machhlishahr (Jaunpur) on June 8, sparked this decision. The engagement celebration in Lucknow was marked by the presence of several key political figures, including the SP President Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Jaya Bachchan, and Ramgopal Yadav.Based on ECI Sources, complications might arise regarding the reputation and personal brand of Rinku Singh. While he is admired and respected as a sports person, his personal association with a politician who is active in contemporary politics might lead to perceptions of bias. Such associations could undermine the trust and independence that the SVEEP campaign seeks to maintain in its efforts to educate the electorate and foster active participation.In his communication to the Aligarh District Election Officer, the CEO of Uttar Pradesh underscored the importance of SVEEP in voter engagement in the region, highlighting equality and neutrality as its core pillars. The ECI’s perception in governance, including reputation management, seeks to be politically neutral. For that reason, Rinku Singh’s previous active involvement in voter awareness initiatives in Uttar Pradesh becomes politically problematic as he is viewed as a campaign ambassador. This, the CEO’s letter suggests, becomes detrimental to the neutral image that the ECI is striving to maintain.Social media has been rife with diverse reactions to the ECI’s decision. The divide is clear, with some labeling the decision as an overreaction and others staunchly defending the action. This stems from concern that public campaigns, especially those revolving around elections, should be devoid of any political undertones. To date, neither Rinku Singh nor Priya Saroj has issued any statement regarding the situation.
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