Supreme Court’s EVM verdict ‘tight slap’ to Congress-led Opposition: PM Modi

ARARIA/MUNGER: The Supreme Court verdict backing the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) was a “tight slap” on the face of the Congress-led Opposition which must apologise for creating distrust against the voting machines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at his election rally in Bihar’s Araria on Friday.

PM Modi also attacked the Congress and the Opposition alliance, accusing them of planning to steal reservation benefits from the other backward classes (OBC) and giving them to Muslims, a recurring theme in his election speeches.

The prime minister held up the EVM as a device that helped end the culture of booth capturing in Bihar. “RJD and Congress alliance in Bihar neither cares about the Constitution of India nor democracy. They didn’t let the people exercise their right to vote for decades. Booth capturing was very common. They didn’t even let the people step out to vote,” he said in his speech at Forbesganj in Bihar’s Araria near the Indo-Nepal border.

“Now when the poor and honest voters have the strength of EVM, they are trying all they can to get rid of the EVM,” PM Modi said, “But today, the highest court of the land has delivered a verdict a few hours earlier which comes as a tight slap to these parties”, said PM Modi.

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a bunch of petitions that sought 100% cross-verification of votes cast on EVMs with the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) or a return to the ballot paper system. The ruling came on the same day as the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

PM Modi said: “This is the day of victory of democracy, victory of Constitution of India.”

PM Modi also repeated his accusation of the Congress for favouring Muslims, alleging it gave OBC reservation to Muslims in Karnataka.

“Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar said in very clear words that India can’t have religion–based reservations. But Congress is trying its best to implement religion-based reservation,” Modi said at Munger and claimed, “Congress is trying to implement 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 and RJD want to do the same in Bihar.”

“The Congress intends to steal a share from 27% reservation provided to OBCs, the category to which I belong, and give it to Muslims on the basis of religion. Can it be tolerated?” he added.

PM Modi also cited the recent comment by Indian Overseas Congress president Sam Pitroda, who said that the idea of an inheritance tax should be debated and discussed, to accuse the opposition party of intending to grab the wealth of people accumulated through hard work, and taxing them even “after death”.

“The Congress now has an evil eye on your property. Congress says that they will survey the houses and land of farmers and implement inheritance tax,” he said.

“The RJD is quiet on the Congress’ plans to track every citizen’s wealth and snatch away 50 per cent of it if the INDI alliance came to power. Both allies want to enjoy the loot”, charged the PM.

In Munger, the prime minister also referred to the world-renowned Bihar School of Yoga and lashed out at “those with a slave mentality” for “handing over to the foreigners what was an ancient discipline with origins in our land”.

“These opposition parties also display their slave mentality when they ridicule me for calling India the mother of democracy,” he added.

The PM also referred to Iqbal Ansari, the Muslim litigant in the Ayodhya title suit and his “proud presence at the consecration of Ram temple,” adding “The Congress and INDI alliance refused the invite. It is time to teach a lesson to this arrogant lot”.