I.N.D.I.A. Bloc Against Itself, TMC MP Challenges Congress To Prove How EVMs Can Be ‘Hacked’

Trinamool Congress and the Indian National Congress both part of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) bloc coalition differ on Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) tampering debate which has been now and again a contentious point of discussion on doubts about how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been managing to win, and or rigging the elections.

With the Opposition raising questions on the reliability of the EVMs, TMC MP and party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday differed with the Congress on the issue.

He termed the allegations as “just random statements” and demanded that people making such allegations should demonstrate how the EVMs can be “hacked”.

“The people who raise questions on EVM, if they have anything then they should go and show a demo to the Election Commission. If work is done properly at the time of EVM randomisation and the people who work on the booth check during mock polls and counting, then I don’t think there is any substance in this allegation,” he said.

“If still someone feels that EVMs can be hacked, then they should meet the Election Commission and show how EVMs can be hacked…Nothing can be done by just making random statements…,” the TMC MP added.

Earlier the Congress had raised doubts on the EVMs after the party lost the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party even met the Election commission raising doubts on the electoral process in Maharashtra
“EVM is a part of the election process. There are issues in the entire election machinery in the Maharashtra assembly elections and targeted manipulation has taken place…The results of the Maharashtra assembly elections are impossible. No one can understand them…We have raised questions on the entire election machinery which is very dangerous for democracy,” Jairam Ramesh had told ANI on December 1.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Monday took a jibe at the Congress alleging that the party only found faults with EVMs when they lost elections.

“Whenever the Congress party loses elections, instead of introspecting, they blame someone else. Unless they introspect, they will not win elections…When they (Congress) form governments in Karnataka, Jharkhand, there is no problem with EVMs, but when they lose Maharashtra, they blame EVMs,” Fadnavis said.

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The BJP has also raised questions on the credibility of the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters, “Congress should try to realise it at least when people of I.N.D.I. Alliance say this. They don’t understand it when we say this but now even their allies are saying this…At least now they should understand, they should realise that they won’t be able to go ahead with a leader like Rahul Gandhi. (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee is also saying this, as NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and (Samajwadi party chief) Akhilesh Yadav as well…,” Joshi told reporters.
The Union Minister also underlined the importance of a strong opposition in a democracy.

“What I feel personally is, that the Congress party should realise themselves, they should understand what is their mistake, and they should introspect what is their problem. We also want constructive opposition. We do not want Congress or the Opposition completely weak. That is not what we want. Opposition is as important as ruling (government at the centre) in democracy…,” he added.