‘ECI Acts Like PM Modi’s Dog’: Congress MLC’s Remark On Maharashtra Poll Debacle Stirs Row – News18

Last Updated:November 29, 2024, 23:05 IST

The deputy leader of opposition in the legislative council compared the country’s poll body to a canine sitting outside the PM’s residence acting as their pet.

Upset with the Maharashtra assembly election results, senior Congress leader and Member of Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) Ashok Jagtap, alias Bhai Jagtap, on Friday triggered a row by dubbing Election Commission of India (ECI) as a “dog” who sits outside the bungalow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The deputy leader of opposition in the legislative council compared the country’s poll body to a canine sitting outside the PM’s residence acting as their pet. He further alleged irregularities in the recently held assembly elections and claimed that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won the election because of EVM Tampering.

“This is an unexpected (polls) verdict. We cannot believe it… People in the state were totally against the (ruling) MahaYuti regime, but the entire credit for it goes to the EVMs. Yes… EVMs tampered… I will say hacked at some places,” news agency IANS quoted Jagtap as saying.

He went on to claim that several agencies be it CBI, ED, or Election Commission, have been working as puppets under the influence of the BJP-led Centre.

“Election Commission toh Kutta hai (Election Commission is like a dog, acting as a dog), sitting outside Narendra Modiji’s bungalow. All the agencies that were created to strengthen our democracy have now become puppets, acting under the influence of Narendra Modi ji. These agencies, which were meant to safeguard our democracy, are unfortunately being misused. The ongoing incidents in Maharashtra and across the country show how the system is being manipulated…” he added.

Jagtap Justifies His Statement

The Congress leader further justified his “dog” remark on ECI saying that he will not apologise for his remarks at all as the poll body works under the presuure and influence of PM Modi and other BJP leaders. He further said that the democracy is disreputed because of the poll body.

“I will not apologise at all, not even a bit…If they are working under pressure from the PM and other ministers then what I have said is right. I will not apologise…Election Commission exists to further strengthen the democracy of the country, and not to serve someone. I stand by what I said. Election Commission should work like T.N. Seshan…Democracy is being disreputed because of you,” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.

Shiv Sena Slams Jagtap

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) soon reacted to Jagtap’s absurd comments on the poll body and said that the Congress leader could opt for the random EVM checking if he feels that the EVMs were tampered.

Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said, “He should not make such statements…If he thinks that there is some problem with the EVMs, he should opt for random EVM checking. The truth will come out…Action should be taken against such statements…”

Congress Urges ECI’s Clarification On Poll Results

After the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, shattering the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi’s dream to wrest power, voices of EVM tampering started coming up from the opposition camp.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commission CEO on Friday raising several questions on the sudden spurt in the November 20 Assembly elections voting figures.

“Doubts are being raised at various levels on the 7.83 per cent increase in votes after the close of voting hours. Judging by the ECI’s figures, there should have been long queues outside polling stations after 5 p.m. that (November 20) day. Public sentiments are strong as there is a huge scam in this,” said Patole in the letter.

He demanded to know in how many constituencies – of the total 288 – were there long voters’ queues after 5 p.m., sought the release of evidence on this including video footage, etc.

Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge voiced his opinion to bring back the traditional voting system alleging tampering with the voting machines. “We don’t want elections through EVMs. We want elections through ballot papers. Just like we had carried out the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, we will run a nationwide campaign for elections using ballot papers,” he said.

The BJP won the highest ever 132 seats for the party, while the Shiv Sena led by Shinde bagged 57 seats and NCP won 41 seats to take the Mahayuti total to 230 seats. Congress as part of MVA won just 16 seats.

SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Polls Via Ballot Paper

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had junked a petition seeking to revert to traditional ballot paper voting process in the elections in the country.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and PB Varale while dismissing the petition remarked, “What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with).”

(With inputs from agencies)