EVMs: Hero or villain?
When elections end, mostly all parties get into introspection mode to examine the reasons for their victory or loss. If the party has done badly, at least a few prominent leaders in vantage positions will be expected to resign. But today things have changed. The parties that have lost hardly introspect, and instead shift the entire blame on hacked EVMs and rest is easy.
BSP did this when Mayawati lost in UP assembly elections without engaging in debates with the infights and polarization of votes and other factors that had caused the loss. With the loss of face in Karnataka elections, the losing party is now blaming the EVMs for this. The confidence Congress exhibited of winning 120 seats, and arguments of ‘no anti-incumbency’ have fallen flat with massive loss of seats. Even while the discussions on what caused this are on, some Cong leaders have alleged that EVMs have been manipulated in 30-40 constituencies. While observing the results from some staunch supporting places, this allegation may even ring true! But the blame on EVM is restricted to the machine alone, and no one is going forward to lodge a complaint or do anything to rectify it. If these allegations that started after UP elections are indeed true, why was the case not followed to a complaint and then corrective actions? Why are politicians conveniently silent when results favour them and cry victim when they are not?
This is not a new complaint. Long ago, L K Advani of BJP had blamed EVMs when the UPA government came into power in the centre. Many have proven that the voting machines can be easily hacked. This time around, pressing any button would lead to BJP getting the votes by default. The allegations of Modi government getting the use of manipulated EVMs have not died down. Yet, the BJP is asking a crucial question of ‘why reject the technology?’
This question may not matter much. But the point that many developed nations have gone back to ballot papers having rejected EVMs after allegations of their misuse surfacing, is a point to be noted. That does not mean those countries are anti-technology. They simply dumped the EVMs and went back to their trusted method because they did not want to compromise on their country’s foundation of democracy.
But India shows undue interest in continuing with EVMs, no matter what. Using technology for the sake of it should not be a matter of pride. We need to know when to reject the technology as well, in order to protect our institutions. EVMs do un-complicate the process of voting and counting by being time efficient. But is that the only criterion we should be considering? If someone can hack into the system and get the desired results, how prudent it is to continue with the use of gadgets? Is this not a mockery of the system?
The Election Commission insists that the EVMs can never be hacked, and on the parallel, many hackers have shown how it can be done. Apart from BJP, all other parties have expressed doubts about EVMs including Shiv Sena. The Election Commission needs to consider all this, and take a decision before the next general elections. All parties need to come together on this as well, in order to ensure deeper participation in this process and reach an amicable solution.
While others are at this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to answer why is he insisting on the use of EVMs when every party is raising doubts about the authenticity of this technology.
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Hubballi murder: Mother of accused demands strict punishment for son
Says it was Neha who made first move and took his phone number
Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 20: The mother of 23-year-old Fayaz, who killed daughter of a Congress councillor inside a college campus in Hubballi, apologised to the victim Neha's family for her son's act and demanded strict punishment for him.
There have been protests in several parts of the state demanding capital punishment for Fayaz, who has been arrested in connection with the incident that occurred on April 18.
With folded arms and tears in eyes, the accused's mother Mamtaz, a teacher said, "I apologise to the people of Karnataka as well as Neha's family for what my son has done. It is a great injustice to Neha and her family.
"What my son has done is completely wrong and we hang our heads in shame. What he did is a big mistake and he should be given strict punishment as per the law of the land," she said.
ALSO READ: Congress Corporator's daughter stabbed to death inside college campus in Hubballi
Speaking to reporters in Dharwad, she said that her son and Neha were not just friends but that they were in love and wanted to marry.
Recalling Neha as a good girl, Mamtaz said she came to know about their relationship a year ago.
"It was Neha who made the first move and took his phone number. My son did tell me about Neha and that he was in love with her and they wanted to get married. But I had suggested that he first focus on his career.
"My son was very brilliant and always secured above 90 percent marks since LKG and UKG days. He wanted to become an IAS officer and was also a University Blue (bodybuilding competition) champion," she said.
Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday visited the victim's family and offered condolences.
Condemning the incident, he said, "It was an inhumane act. The way Fayaz murdered Neha, it was inhumane. It is a condemnable act and I insist that the state government, Chief Minister and Home Minister conduct an impartial and speedy inquiry into the matter."
The murder of the daughter of the city corporation councillor on the campus of her college here has sparked widespread condemnation and protests.
The issue has snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP in Karnataka. While the ruling party has tried to project it as an "incident with a personal angle", the saffron party suspects "love jihad" and said that it points to the "deterioration of law and order" in the state.
Neha (23), the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled the scene, was arrested by police subsequently.
Neha was a first-year MCA student and Fayaz was her former classmate.
According to a senior police officer, Fayaz stabbed her multiple times. During interrogation, he claimed that the two had been in a relationship but she had been avoiding him of late.
"It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately," the officer said.
In Munavalli, Fayaz's hometown in Belagavi district, the incident sparked outrage and demonstrations have been held by various organisations condemning the murder.
The victim's family has been demanding that the accused be hanged to death and only then will their daughter's soul rest in peace.
