NCP (SP) national president Sharad Pawar today called for a public uprising against deployment of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and misuse money and power during elections, or it would spell doom for parliamentary democracy in the country.
“There is unease across the country about how the elections were conducted. It reflected massive misuse of money and power by ruling parties. In local elections, we hear of such complaints. But in Maharashtra elections, we saw blatant misuse of money and the power,” Pawar said after meeting the 95-year-old socialist leader Baba Adhav who is holding a sit-in protest in the city against EVMs, and demanding use of ballot papers during elections. Today was the third day of his hunger strike.
Calling for public uprising, Pawar said, ”Yesterday, I met people outside Parliament, who reminded me of the Jayprakash Narayan era. Baba Adhav has taken an initiative against all the unethical happenng here. People are feeling relieved because of his hunger strike, as he has taken a stand as part of his political responsbility. He should not stand alone in this effort. People should join the revolt. If we don’t, then our parliamentary democracy will be destroyed. The rulers have nothing to do with it,” he said.
After Pawar met Adhav, even deputy CM Ajit Pawar and later Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who came from Mumbai, met Adhav. Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis who attended a function in the city however did not come to meet the 95-year-old socialist leader who is has been denoucing EVMs over last three days.
Pawar said even as people are widely discussing EVMs, the Opposition was not allowed to speak when they raised the issue. ”During the six-day session, the Opposition was seeking to be heard, but their demand was not accepted even once. Those ruling the country did not allow issues affecting the nation to be raised, they themselves are attacking our democracy,” he said.
Pawar said he does not have evidence to prove EVMS were hacked. ”Before elections, some people had made a presentation before me to show how EVMs are hacked, but we did not believe it. It showed we lacked understanding. We never thought the EC will take such an extreme stand. We did not distrust the EC, but now we can’t say the same thing,” he said.
Pawar said they will wait for the result of recounting. ”I don’t think anything will come of it. The figures that emerged in the last two hours of polling are shocking. Apart from Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, several candidates have highlighted this issue and submittted proof as well. The Congress Working Committee which held its meeting yesterday also discussed this, and India bloc too will take up the issue,” he said.
Pawar has alleged that 15 per cent votes were ‘fixed’. “We did not believe it at first, but now we do,” he said.
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