PM Narendra Modi reacts to SC's VVPAT verdict, claims Congress has Muslim quota plan in Bihar

PM Modi claimed that the Opposition was trying to get rid of EVMs.

Updated on: Apr 26, 2024, 14:44:58 IST

By HT News Desk

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Reacting to the Supreme Court's verdict in the EVM-VVPAT case, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the RJD and Congress never cared about the Constitution of India. Addressing a rally in Bihar's Araria, PM Modi claimed "booth capturing was very common" during the former's rule. He also accused the Congress of planning to bring Bihar's Muslims under the OBC quota.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI file photo)

PM Modi claimed that the Opposition was trying to get rid of EVMs.

"RJD and Congress alliance in Bihar neither cares about the constitution of India, nor about democracy. They did not let people exercise their right to vote for decades. Booth capturing was very common... They did not even let the people step out to vote...," PM Modi said.

Also read: 'Blindly distrusting any...': In EVM-VVPAT case, Supreme Court calls for ‘trust, harmony'

"Now when the poor and honest voters have the strength of EVM, they are trying all they can to get rid of the EVM... Today, the Supreme Court has given a strong verdict saying that the old system of ballot paper voting will not come back," he added.

PM Modi claimed that like Karnataka, the Congress wants to bring Muslims under the purview of OBC reservation.

"Congress has deeply conspired to take away the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs, and I'm saying this with utmost responsibility. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar has said in very clear words, that India cannot have religion-based reservations," he claimed.

PM Modi claimed in Karnataka, Muslims get the lion's share of the 27 percent quota for OBCs.

"But Congress is trying its best to implement religion-based reservation. It is trying to implement the Karnataka model of reservation in the country...They have betrayed the OBC community and included all Muslims of Karnataka in the OBC list, irrespective of their financial status. A major chunk of the 27% reservation for the OBC has gone to the Muslims now...Congress wants to do the same in Bihar and other parts of the country," he added.

The Supreme Court today rejected several petitions seeking cross-verification of votes cast using electronic voting machines (EVMs) via Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines.

Dismissing the pleas, the bench observed that "democracy is all about striving to build harmony and trust between all institutions".

The Election Commission has served a notice to BJP president JP Nadda over PM Modi's remark that the Congress plans to distribute people's hard-earned money among “those who have many children”. The court has asked him to respond to the notice by April 29.

With inputs from ANI

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HT News Desk
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