RANCHI: While 32,000-odd tablet computers distributed to teachers in
Jharkhand
invited the ire of the Election Commission (EC) for containing an inbuilt video message from CM
Raghubar Das
that plays automatically when switched on, another 72,000 mobile phones distributed to Sakhi Mandal members have thus far gone unnoticed.
The commission issued a directive on Sunday to the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) restricting the use of the tablets, distributed under the E-Vidya Vahini scheme, with immediate effect. But the 72,000 phones distributed by the government to promote digital literacy among rural women also have a similar message from CM that plays automatically each time device is switched on or off.
“Our Sakhi Mandal received a phone which is regularly used by us to train women. The phone plays a message from the chief minister when switched on,” a Sakhi based in
Lohardaga district
, Sonam Dulari, said.
This feature puts all such devices distributed by the state government in the past few years under the EC’s scanner for violating the model code of conduct. The Das government has also distributed tablets in government offices; the presence of such messages in those devices is yet to be confirmed.
Taking cognisance of EC’s directive, JEPC instructed all teachers, along with district- and block-level officers, who have been provided E-Vidya Vahini tablets, to stop using them with immediate effect.