Increasing voter turnout shows people's trust in EC growing stronger: BJP Chief Nitin Nabin
New Delhi (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Sunday acknowledged the Election Commission's effort in conducting fair and transparent polls, asserting that the increasing voter turnout in many states is a clear indication that people's trust in both the voting process and the poll panel has become stronger.
Addressing young voters at an event organised here at the BJP headquarters to mark National Voters' Day, Nabin highlighted the role of voters, especially the youth, in a democracy and said that India can achieve its goal of becoming a developed country by 2047 only by their collective efforts.
Political parties may be different, ideas and thinking may be different, but for the youth, the theme must be 'nation first and collective effort', he said.
"There was a time when, after casting a vote in a ballot box, there used to be apprehension about where that box had gone, but today the country has entered the electronic and digital era," the BJP chief said.
"Today, when we cast our vote, it immediately becomes clear to whom the vote has been cast. This entire process, in one way or another, reflects the complete transparency of the Election Commission," he added.
Nabin said that over the past several years, the Election Commission has brought many "positive changes" and added "new dimensions" to its functioning, which, he said, has further strengthened the democratic process.
"It is truly remarkable to imagine that nearly 95 crore voters in the country exercise their franchise at the same time, a number greater than the combined population of many countries. Conducting elections for such a vast electorate and maintaining complete transparency is in itself a major achievement," the BJP chief said.
The increasing voter turnout in many states today is a clear indication that people's trust in both the voting process and the Election Commission has continued to grow stronger, he added.
Nabin's remarks were made on a day when opposition parties questioned the integrity of the Election Commission, with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleging that the "right to vote is being bulldozed" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
Terming the Election Commission's celebration of National Voters' Day as a "tragic farce", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the poll panel of bulldozing the opposition and destroying the foundation of the country's democracy on "behalf of the BJP."
Nabin said that the Election Commission has played an important role in providing the country with a "clean government and ensuring the right to vote for every citizen". He mentioned that the commission carries out necessary tasks, including the purification of electoral rolls.
Today, every voter is confident that the vote they cast goes to the "right person and the right party," becoming a "means for the development of the state and the country," once they press the button in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), Nabin added.
He praised the commission for using phrases like "My India, my vote" and the tagline "Citizen at the heart of Indian democracy."
The BJP chief emphasised that becoming a voter is not just a right, but also instils a sense of responsibility and accountability because where there are rights, there are also duties attached.
"All of us are the people who will witness 'Viksit Bharat' in 2047, and the Viksit Bharat of 2047 will not be built by the efforts of a single individual, but by the collective efforts of every young person," he said.
According to Nabin, today's voters will shape the future of India, and every vote cast today lays the foundation for the nation's progress.
He encouraged the youth to adopt a forward-thinking attitude based on the word "we," asserting that "we" are our country, our family, and our state, and that the "wealth of our nation belongs to all of us."
Nabin advised that people should enter politics with a "positive mindset" and the intention of bringing about constructive changes in the system.
However, he noted that entering politics is not the only way to serve the nation, adding that, "a person can serve the country and contribute to its progress by making an outstanding contribution in whichever field or discipline they are engaged in."
Addressing the event, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal exhorted the young voters to exercise their franchise "fairly in the best interest of the country, without fear".
"Your single vote is so decisive. It's the decider of India's destiny. Today, you are getting the right to vote. Governments will be formed with your vote. Your vote is so valuable," the minister said.
"In 2014, the Indian voters cast a decisive vote, and Narendra Modi became the prime minister of this country. India's destiny is moving forward at a rapid pace. That's why your vote is so important," he added.
BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh, the party's Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva, and several other leaders were present at the event.
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Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
