Press any button but vote will go to BJP, says BJP MLA Bakshish Singh Virk
Rahul Gandhi says this leader is "The most honest man in the BJP"
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Oct 21: A video of the ruling BJP candidate from Assandh purportedly making controversial remarks about EVMs emerged on the social media on the eve of Haryana Assembly polls, following which the Election Commission issued him a show cause notice and appointed a special observer to the constituency to take "corrective action".
In the clip, BJP candidate and sitting MLA Bakshish Singh Virk purportedly says that no matter which button is pressed on the electronic voting machine, the vote would go to the BJP, but he dubbed it as a fake video and alleged that it was a conspiracy by his opponents to defame him and his party.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today took a pot-shot at the BJP over one of its candidates in Haryana declaring that no matter what button is pressed on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)s, every vote will go to the ruling party. The "most honest man in the BJP", Rahul Gandhi tweeted on MLA Bakshish Singh Virk, who has been served notice by the Election Commission for his controversial comment.
An EC statement on Sunday said former deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi is being sent to Assandh Constituency in Karnal "in light of the video circulating on social media.''
"Zutshi has been requested to proceed immediately to the constituency to take necessary corrective action and ensure free, fair and peaceful election," the Commission said.
After the video circulated on social media, the Election Commission took cognizance and issued a show cause notice to Virk, Haryana's Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dr Inder Jeet said over phone.
In the video, Virk also purportedly tells a small gathering of his supporters, We will come to know who has voted for whom, there should be no misconception about this....
Virk, however, claimed that he never said anything about EVMs .
"A fake video has been made viral. Some mediaperson has done this act and twisted the entire thing. I respect the Election Commission and have faith in EVMs. I never said anything about the voting machines.
"There is no truth in the allegations which are being levelled. It is a conspiracy to defame me and my party," he said.
Hitting out at the BJP, Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja said the saffron party knows that it will be rejected by the people and that is why it's MLA was making such remarks.
Congress leader Shamsher Gogi and JJP demanded that the EC should cancel Virk's candidature.
The most honest man in the BJP. pic.twitter.com/6Q4D43uo0d
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 21, 2019
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Bomb threat prompts security sweep at Lourdes Central School in Mangaluru
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): A bomb threat email sent to Lourdes Central School on Thursday triggered a major security operation, with police and bomb disposal squads conducting a thorough search of the premises, authorities said.
The email, received late on Wednesday night, warned that a bomb would explode at 9 am.
Upon receiving the alert, personnel from the Kadri Police Station rushed to the school along with the bomb detection and disposal squad.
A comprehensive inspection of the campus was carried out, police said.
Dog squad teams were also deployed to assist in the search operation to ensure that no suspicious object was left unchecked, a senior police officer said.
Authorities said similar threat emails have recently been sent to other locations in the state, including the Dharwad Court Complex and the Mangaluru Court, prompting heightened vigilance.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the sender names used in the emails appear to trace back to Tamil Nadu, though the authenticity of the identities is yet to be verified.
Further investigation is underway.
