By Muslim Mirror Staff
New Delhi: The electronic voting machine (EVM) was found in a car owned by BJP MLA Krishnendu Paul’s family member in Ratabari constituency of Assam on Thursday night. Following the unfortunate incident, the poll panel ordered repoll at a booth and suspended four of its officials.
The private vehicle carrying the EVM was intercepted and attacked with stones by a group of locals. A superintendent of police was injured in the clash, while other police personnel resorted to blank firing to disperse the protestors.
A report by the poll body said that upon examination, the seal of the EVM was found intact “without any damage whatsoever”.
Breaking : Situation tense after EVMs found in Patharkandi BJP candidate Krishnendu Paul’s car. pic.twitter.com/qeo7G434Eb
— atanu bhuyan (@atanubhuyan) April 1, 2021
The Election Commission (EC), in its report, said that the vehicle, in which the EVM was being carried, broke down around 9 pm near Nilam Bazaar area. But instead of waiting for the sector officer to send a replacement vehicle for them, the polling party took a lift from a passerby, without checking the ownership of the vehicle bearing the number AS-10B-0022.
However, the EC’s explanation did not sound very convincing for scores of people. Youth Congress’s National Campaign In-charge Srivatsa described the statement as a ”Bigger lie than even Modiji fighting for Bangladesh Independence”.
The explanation about the EVM carrying car breaking down & lift being taken in the BJP Candidate's car is a BIGGER LIE than even Modiji fighting for Bangladesh Independence
Has Vivek Agnihotri been hired to write this script? #EC_Cheats_India
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) April 2, 2021
Badruddin Ajmal of the AIUDF, which is in alliance with the Congress, tweeted saying “stealing EVMs” was the BJP’s last resort after all its other moves — “polarisation”, “buying votes”, “doublespeak on CAA”, among others — had failed.