After the BJP secured a sweeping victory in the majority of the five-state assembly election, Opposition parties marshalled to question the viability of electronic voting machines (EVM) after senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that any machine with a chip can be hacked, stirring reactions from the saffron party.
The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, after the Congress failed to make a significant mark in the state election, raised a “fundamental question” on whether “the Indian democracy be controlled by professional hackers.” “Hon ECI and Hon Supreme Court would you please defend our Indian Democracy?” Singh asked on X (formerly Twitter).
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Backing Singh's claim, National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah recalled the ECI agreed to his “EVM theft” query during his chief ministerial tenure in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. "When this machine was introduced during the Congress regime, I was the Chief Minister. At that time, we had asked the Election Commission if there could be any "theft", and they had said that yes it is possible. A method has to be found to correct this machine so that people's trust in it remains," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said he subscribes to a divergent opinion. He expressed confidence in the EVMs. "My personal opinion about the EVMs remains unchanged. I have full confidence in the EVMs. I know many of party colleagues have different opinions but I personally have always been very confident about the EVMs," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said he subscribes to a divergent opinion. He expressed confidence in the EVMs. "My personal opinion about the EVMs remains unchanged. I have full confidence in the EVMs. I know many of party colleagues have different opinions but I personally have always been very confident about the EVMs," he said.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP however, tore into the Opposition saying they only raise the EVM bogey when they lose elections while the “same EVM had delivered a victory to the Congress in Telangana.”
"It is not new. The opposition raises questions on EVM only when they lose elections…Why didn't they raise questions on EVM during the Himachal Pradesh polls or Telangana polls? When they win everything is okay, when they lose they raise questions on EVM," Union minister Giriraj Singh said.
Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the Congress is spreading “negativity” and by doing this, “they are disrespecting the voters also.”