Digvijaya Singh also went on to cast doubt on the impartiality of the Election Commission of IndiaSenior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has once again brought to the forefront the contentious issue of alleged manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). Speaking at a recent conclave organized by a media house, Singh asserted, “Modi ji has three significant tools at his disposal: EVM, religious fanaticism, and the ED-CBI. BJP is sowing seeds of division for political gains.”
Last month, Singh’s colleague Congress leader Sam Pitroda said the BJP can win more than 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if issues associated with EVMs are not “fixed”.
With the national elections just a few months away, Singh added that the will of the public would prevail in 2024 and urged for a return to the traditional ballot system. This renewed emphasis on the electoral process comes on the heels of last year’s state Assembly Polls, where the BJP secured victories in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, prompting the Congress to cry foul play.
In a series of social media posts earlier, Singh expressed his longstanding opposition to EVM voting, dating back to 2003, citing concerns about potential hacking due to the inclusion of chips in the machines. He posed a fundamental question to political parties, asking whether they would allow Indian democracy to be controlled by professional hackers.
Singh went on to cast doubt on the impartiality of the Election Commission, claiming it was under pressure and emphasising the influence of private entities in the functioning of EVMs. He underscored his skepticism by providing a demonstration of an alleged EVM malfunction, pointing out potential vulnerabilities in the system.
Expressing concern over the transparency of the voting process, Singh called for greater accountability, asking why VVPAT slips were visible for only seven seconds and questioning the authenticity of the printed results. Singh claimed that the Commission was under pressure from the BJP and alleged that the confidence displayed by the ruling party in securing a significant number of seats raised suspicions.
The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister invoked the era of TN Seshan and stressed the need for impartiality from the Election Commission, expressing a lack of trust in the current electoral mechanisms.
“We don’t trust the VVPAT or EVMs or the impartiality of the Election Commission. I only trust the Supreme Court. The election should be held through ballot paper. If you have so much love for EVMs, then give the VVPAT slip in the hands of the voter,” he asserted. “Why not put VVPATs in public domain on the lines of Australia? Today, there are five countries in the world where voting is done with EVMs. It is in the public domain,” he said.
Joining the chorus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently accused the BJP of tampering with EVMs during the Chandigarh mayoral polls, emphasizing the need for citizens to introspect and safeguard democracy.
“If the BJP can resort to rigging in local body elections, it can go to any extent in the state assembly and general elections, said Kejriwal while addressing his party workers.