KARUR: AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai on Saturday supported the demand to bring back paper ballot for 2019 Lok Sabha polls and defended the State government decision to transfer all idol theft cases to CBI, saying the agency’s help was required to retrieve idols smuggled out of the country.
“Idol theft wing Inspector General Pon Manickavel is doing a fine job. There is no doubt about it. But idol thefts are not limited to Tamil Nadu; they take place at every corner in India. And most stolen idols are smuggled to foreign countries. People there open museums at their homes with these idols. So, in order to bring back the idols, we need the help of the Centre and the CBI. That is the main reason why all idol cases are being transferred from Pon Manickavel,” said Thambidurai.
To a question about certain opposition parties’ demand that the electronic voting machines be replaced by ballot papers over fears of malpractice, the leader said, “Our former chief minister Jayalalitha had always supported the paper ballot. In many countries, it has been proved and is universally accepted that the paper ballot is the best way to conduct elections. So it would be great if they brought back ballot papers.”