We welcome Paswan's move, says Congress
New Delhi, July 28 : As Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP turned up the heat on Modi government over the appointment of A.K. Goel as NGT chairman and demanded his removal by August 9, the Congress while welcoming his move said he can't stay silent now as he has to do the politics of backward classes.
On Paswan joining the oppositon, the party said whenever he comes, it will comment on it. "Can't comment on a hypothetical question," said AICC in-charge of Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil.
Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) also demanded that the stringent provisions of the SC/ST atrocities law must be restored. It also said if its demands were not met, it will join anti-government protests by Dalit organisations on August 9.
"Not only Paswan-ji, all the allies of NDA, be it its oldest ally Shiv Sena, be it Mehbooba-ji (PDP's Mehbooba Mufti), Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), or Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP), nobody is comfortable with them (BJP)," said Gohil.
The leader said people have gone gainst them and the message is loud and clear. "This message is very clear in Bihar that Modi-led BJP is against the SCs, STs, OBCs and EBCs," said Gohil.
"The SC/ST (Prvention of Atrocities) Act was weakened under this government, because the affidavit of the government of India given in the Supreme Court was against this law," he said.
"The judge who gave judgment against the SC/ST was appointed NGT chairman. If Paswanji stays quiet now, the situation will get worse for him. So, better late than never. Hope his inner soul remains awake," he added.
On Samajwadi Party seeking support of all opposition parties on its demand of restoration of ballot system during elections, Gohil said: "We passed a resolution in the plenary session of the Congress in which we said we should go back to ballot paper and EVM machines should be done away with," Gohil said.
"When questions are raised on our democracy, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to take steps as a constitutional authority. As far as seeking our support is concerned, our leadership will definitely talk to them along with other opposition parties to plan a strategy," he added.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
