EVM tampering issue rocks Rajya Sabha; SP, BSP and Congress lead ‘EVM rigged’ chorus

New Delhi, Apr 5: Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed heavy ruckus after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and other Samajwadi Party and Congress leaders raised the issue of EVM tampering in the recently-concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Speaking on the issue of EVM tampering, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised concern over the tampering of electronic voting machines (EVM’s) and demanded use of ballot papers in the upcoming bypolls. “If BJP would have done the theft in all five elections then they would have got caught. Therefore they only chose the biggest state as their target,” said Azad.

The uproar in the Rajya Sabha started after senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh raises EVM issue in the house. Replying to Digvijaya Singh over the issue, minister Prakash Javdekar said, “You should go to Election Commission. Don’t stall the house.” Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Rajya Sabha took on BSP chief Mayawati who challenged the government to hold elections with ballot papers. “Mayawati has said public is dishonest…. they are not questioning the government, they are questioning the people and the Election Commission,” Naqvi said.

Samajwadi MP Ram Gopal Yadav also raised the issue of EVM tampering in the Rajya Sabha. “It is clear that the EVM was programmed to vote for one party,” said Ram Gopal Yadav in the Upper House of the Parliament. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, however, said the issue should be taken up with the Election Commission of India.