BHOPAL: Controversy over alleged lapses in handling electronic voting machines (EVMs) during and after the November 28 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh doesn’t seem to be ending.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath on Monday questioned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s silence over these alleged lapses.
Slamming the BJP for criticising the Congress over raising the issue over the last two days, Nath asked why the BJP was silent over the recent developments. The recently alleged lapses include poll staff staying at a hotel along with EVMs in Shujalpur town just a few hours before the start of voting, EVMs reaching strong-rooms/warehouses 48 hours after polling in Sagar and Khargone districts, a difference of 56 votes detected after voting at a polling booth in Anuppur and an electrical issue causing CCTV cameras and LED display screen outside the strong room in Bhopal to stop functioning.
“We question the deliberate silence of the BJP over these developments. Let the BJP remain deliberately silent over it, we’ll continue to raise the developments,” said Nath.
His response came a day after the BJP slammed the Congress for raising the issue. The BJP had attacked the Congress, saying that apprehending defeat in the polls, the opposition party was making baseless allegations about EVM tampering and lapses in handling of EVMs.
Senior Congress leaders, including Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia have been asking party workers and candidates to maintain vigils outside strong rooms and warehouses in all the 51 districts, where the used and unutilized EVMs have been stored.
Rajkumar Mev, sitting BJP MLA who contested as an Independent on the Maheshwar seat in Khargone district has also been keeping guard outside the strong room in Khargone district along with his supporters.
Mev was expelled from the ruling party for six years after he filed his nomination as an Independent.
Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO-MP) VL Kantha Rao allayed all apprehensions regarding the safety of both used and unutilized EVMs. “All safety protocols, including three-tier security at strong rooms and warehouses is being ensured in all the districts. Also, arrangements of tents have been made outside the strong rooms to render comfort to all candidates and their workers if they wish to stay there till the machines are actually opened on the December 11 morning for counting of votes,” the CEO MP said on Monday.
The CEO also ordered a probe after a video of Rewa district collector Preeti Maithil emerged on social media. In the video, the collector is reportedly heard saying “shoot anyone found moving around the strong room” to CRPF forces guarding the strong room went viral over social media.