New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS): Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Friday made a fresh pitch for doing away with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and returning to the ballot papers model for ensuring free and fair elections. He reasoned that the EVMs are unreliable and hence give the rivals a chance to 'manipulate' the poll outcome.
"Until elections are conducted using ballot papers, free and fair elections are impossible in this country," said Rashid Alvi.
He admitted that factional feud in Haryana could have hurt party's electoral prospects in Haryana to some extent but not to the level of defeat because everyone including farmers, wrestlers were against the incumbent regime.
"I acknowledge that during elections, there is often internal sabotage. Those who don't get tickets tend to oppose the party. This doesn't happen only in Congress; it occurs in all political parties. But what happened in Haryana is not just a result of internal sabotage or independent candidates. I've been saying for a long time that the EVMs are unreliable.
He further stated, "This happens in all parties, whether it's Congress, BJP, or others. No party is religious, working selflessly without expectations. Political parties have their own agendas, we have witnessed major internal conflicts, just like the great Mahabharata, and power struggles have been a significant cause of it."
"In Haryana, some Congress members likely engaged in internal sabotage, and I do not doubt that. But the massive victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which hasn't been seen in years, what extraordinary feat did they accomplish to secure such a huge win? Surely, EVMs played a role in it," alleged the Congress leader.
In Maharashtra, the cabinet recently took a step to increase the salaries of madrasa teachers, an initiative that Congress leader Rashid Alvi applauded. He said, "All teachers, whether they teach in schools, madrasas, or colleges, should be paid at least enough to support their families. I would suggest Yogi Adityanath learn from this."
Commenting on Ajit Pawar leaving the Maharashtra cabinet meeting within ten minutes, Alvi said, "He must have many unfulfilled desires, which is why he is always frustrated whether he is with the BJP or Sharad Pawar."