Bihar electoral revision : Rahul, Tejashwi on a weak ground
The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar gave call for Bihar Bandh on July 9 to protest the special intensive revision of electoral rolls ordered by Election Commission of India.
There was practically no effect on day-to-day life in other cities of India except Patna, where RJD, Congress and Left leaders led a protest march. Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the march and gave speeches.
Rahul Gandhi alleged there was massive rigging in Maharashtra assembly elections held last year and plans are afoot to do the same in the forthcoming Bihar assembly polls. He said, while the number of voters in Maharashtra was inflated, in Bihar, names of many voters will be deleted through this revision exercise.
Tejashwi Yadav alleged, the “EC is working at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and efforts are being made to delete names of voters belonging to poorer sections, backward and extremely backward classes, Dalits and Muslim communities”.
Two significant points came up at the Mahagathbandhan rally.
Firstly, Pappu Yadav and Rahul’s close aide Kanhaiya Kumar were barred from standing on the ‘rath’ (vehicle) in which Rahul and Tejashwi were travelling. It is being alleged that Tejashwi Yadav does not like these two leaders, and it was at his instance that both the leaders were prevented to travel in that vehicle. This has created anger among Congress supporters.
Secondly, Mahagathbandhan leaders criticized the Election Commission, but none of the leaders explained how verification of Bihar’s 7.9 crore voters can be carried out in 25 days.
Till yesterday, most of the leaders were claiming that the Election Commission would wave a magic wand, and run special trains for Bihar voters spread out throughout the country to come and join the revision exercise, but on Wednesday, most of these leaders were silent.
The reason being, Election Commission published data saying that 58 per cent voters have submitted their forms within last 15 days, and there are still 16 days left. By Wednesday evening, the Election Commission had received more than 53.89 lakh out of a total of 7.9 lakh voters in the state and the special intensive revision process will continue till July 25.
All voters’ lists will be prepared on the basis of this exercise. Election Commission has speeded up its exercise and all eyes are set on the verdict of Supreme Court on this issue.
Take action against MLA for beating canteen staff
Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) MLA Sanjay Gaekwad slapped and kicked an employee working at the MLA hostel canteen for serving stale food. Gaekwad had ordered food from the canteen at night, and dal, sabzi was served in his room.
The MLA alleged, he found a foul smell from the dal, and he went straight to the canteen carrying dal. In the canteen, the MLA rained blows and kicks on the hapless employee.
The next day, the matter was raised in the assembly and action was demanded by some members against Gaekwad, who had come to the House carrying dal and sabzi in a polythene bag. He demanded a probe into the affairs of the canteen.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, this matter should not be politicized and the question relates to behaviour of a politician with commoners. He described Gaekwad’s behaviour as questionable and said the MLA could have complained to the authorities about the stale food that was served.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said, stale food was served to the MLA and he fell ill, but it was not justified to beat an employee over this issue. Outside the House, Sanjay Gaekwad said, “I am the disciple of Balasaheb Thackeray who taught us to beat someone if he does mischief.”
What the MLA did was shameful. Drunk with the elixir of power, he slapped and kicked a canteen employee. This must be condemned by all. It is easy to raise hand on a weak person, but, as Devendra Fadnavis said, the MLA could have complained about the stale food. There was no need to beat an employee.
Unfortunately, the MLA has not realized his mistake and he is saying that he would again beat any person who served him stale food. This is indicative of a sick mindset.
In Hindi, there is a saying, ‘Pahle Chori, Phir Seenazori’ (first you commit mistake, then you justify). A case should be filed against the legislator and he should be handed over to police.
All parties inside the Assembly must demand action against the unruly MLA. If a legislator commits such an act, the honour of the entire Assembly is sullied.
Unfortunately, leaders like Uddhav Thackeray are trying to score political brownie points from this. He described the MLA’s act as “a conspiracy by Eknath Shinde against Fadnavis”.
Giving a political colour to a legislator’s crime and providing the guilty person an escape route, does not lower the gravity of his crime.
EVM: EC Clears All Doubts
Normally questions are raised about EVMs (electronic voting machines) and Election Commission after elections are over, but on Tuesday, the question of EVM was raised soon after EC declared the poll schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections. Shiv Sena (Uddhav) leader Sanjay Raut said, opposition parties do not trust the working of EVMs and what happened in Haryana can be repeated in Maharashtra too. Raut said, EC will have to prove its impartiality in Maharashtra elections. Congress leader Rashid Alvi alleged that EVMs could be manipulated just like Hezbollah pagers which were hacked by Israel to carry out blasts in Lebanon. Alvi appealed to opposition parties to demand voting through paper ballots.
At his press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar rubbished this allegation and cleared all doubts. He said, “our EVMs are more robust than Hezbollah’s pagers and they are 100 per cent foolproof. EVMs cannot be hacked. Pagers are connected devices, but EVMs are not. Similar allegations were made earlier that votes cast in favour of one party were going to another.”
Regarding the 20 complaints received from Congress candidates about EVMs, Rajiv Kumar said, EC would write separately to each complainant with detailed facts and proof of candidates’ or their agents’ invoment in handing of EVMs at every stage”.
The CEC said, “where in the world is there so much public disclosure and participation? Results have differed in election after election and when the result is adverse, then the result is termed as wrong.”
Rajiv Kumar explained the entire polling and counting process. “When EVMs are commissioned, symbols loaded and new batteries installed, candidates or their agents sign on the seal. EVMs are kept in strongrooms with double lock and three layers of security. All processes are videographed. Counting area is barricaded. How can there be a mix-up when candidates and their agents check things round after round?”
I think, those who are again questioning EVMs, will have to answer many questions. One, Were EVMs working perfectly during Lok Sabha polls, but were hacked during Haryana polls? Did EVMs work perfectly in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, but were tampered with in MP and Chhattisgarh? Who will believe such allegations?
Let me reiterate. An electronic voting machine is just like a calculator, and it has no connection with internet via Bluetooth or any remote device. The battery usage of an EVM is writter on the form at the time the EVM is packed and sealed. It is countersigned by candidates or their agents.
Secondly, in a big country like India, where thousands of EVMs are used, lakhs of government employees are involved in the electoral process, how can EVMs be hacked? And if some people tamper with the EVMs, how can the matter remain a secret?
Victories and defeats do take place during elections, but to blame defeat on the Election Commission or to raise questions about EVM tampering, is, I think, childish. The Election Commission is a Constitutional body. If leaders start pointing fingers at our Constitutional bodies, without any solid proof, it can ultimately damage our democracy.