EVMs are not reliable, says BJP former leader Yashwant Sinha
Sinha in symposium on ‘threat to democracy and constitution’ in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 27: BJP former leader Yashwant Sinha said that he does not have the belief that election process would be held properly through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and got good results.
Speaking at a symposium on ‘threat to democracy and constitution’ organized by the Progressive Forum at the Legislators House in the city on Sunday, Sinha said that developed countries have already have already said that EVMs could be hacked. But the Central Election Commission is not accepting it. Instead, it has been challenging to prove allegation, he said.
For the last four years, the democracy in the country is in a dangerous situation. Democratic organizations have been targeted. When the opposition parties are against presenting the budget, the Prime Minister has never tried to pacify the opposition leaders by discussing with them, he alleged.
When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, he had directed the opposition parties not to disturb the Parliament Session. Because of this reason, the government was responding to the demands of the opposition parties including no-confidence motion, he said.
Clear message
As the secular political parties have come together and formed the government in the state after the Assembly election, it has sent a clear message to the country. In the last Lok Sabha election, BJP has got just 31 per cent of votes and 69 per cent of votes were against it. If all the political parties come together, it is sure that secular parties would form the government at the center, he said.
Nowadays, media houses were being controlled to win the election. Both media and social media are so dangerous. Every citizen should speak loudly and protect the country and democracy, he appealed.
Freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, former minister BT Lalitha Nayak, dalit leader Lakshminarayan Nagawara, former MLA BR Patil, Congress senior leader BL Shankar. MP Nadagouda and others were present.
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BJP hatching Op Lotus, alleges Shivakumar as 2 held for trying to bribe Odisha Cong MLAs
Bengaluru (PTI): Two people were arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe Odisha Congress MLAs, who are staying in a resort near here, as part of BJP's "Operation Lotus," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed on Sunday.
He alleged that the BJP has planned "Operation Lotus'" and was offering Rs five crore to each Odisha MLAs, who were flown here ahead of the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls in that state.
Eight MLAs, along with some other Odisha Congress unit office bearers are camping in the resort.
They have been flown to Bengaluru with apprehensions of horse trading during the Rajya Sabha elections in favour of ruling BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate.
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Shivakumar, also Congress' Karnataka chief, said two persons were apprehended at the private resort for attempting to buy over Odisha Congress MLAs.
"Four people have come. One local person named Suresh helped them; they contacted him (an MLA) online. In the morning they picked up our MLA. Our MLA told us that they offered Rs five crore for each vote. He (Congress MLA) said he is not for horse-trading," Shivakumar told reporters.
"The cheque and everything should be seized. A complaint will be filed at the police station. After that, whatever legal action is required will be taken," he added.
Shivakumar said those caught have accepted that they came for the "same purpose".
"They have admitted it and the process is on to trace others. This is the great Operation Lotus carried out by BJP friends in Karnataka," the DCM said.
Operation Lotus is a term used by Congress to claim about attempts to topple a non-BJP government by the BJP whose party symbol is lotus. It also involves getting the votes on MLAs from other parties for their Rajya Sabha candidate.
According to a Congress source, one of the persons involved in the horse trading is a defeated Lok Sabha candidate.
A source shared the photograph and blank cheques as well.
"They tried to negotiate with the Congress MLA by offering a blank cheque.
Both have been caught and handed over to the Bidadi police," the source said.
Police sources said that they have been arrested.
According to Congress sources, the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha will take place on Monday. The BJP has fielded one more candidate, which raised apprehensions of horse-trading.
Congress and the Biju Janata Dal have fielded a candidate.
