SC’s EVM verdict ‘cracking blow’ for Congress-led opposition: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Supreme Court’s verdict on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was a “shattering blow” to the Congress-led Opposition, which must “apologise” for committing the “sin” of creating mistrust against EVMs.

The Prime Minister, who addressed back-to-back election rallies in Araria and Munger Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, also accused the Opposition of trying to ‘steal’ reservations meant for OBCs, SCs and STs ‘for the sake of their favorite vote bank . of Muslims”.

“When Congress, RJD and other INDI alliance parties were in power, the poor, backwards and Dalits were deprived of their votes by capturing their polling booths. With the introduction of electronic voting machines, they can no longer play their old game. Therefore, they committed the sin of creating mistrust against EVMs,” the Prime Minister alleged in Araria.

“But today, the country’s top court has delivered a judgment a few hours earlier, which is a harsh blow to these parties,” Modi said, referring to the judgment seeking pleas for cross-verification of votes cast through EVMs with VVPAT . have been rejected. He also accused the Congress of having “stolen” reservations meant for the OBCs and that the benefits would be transferred to Muslims in Karnataka, where the party is in power, and of “conspiracy” in the rest of the country, including in Bihar, where the party is in power. Its ally RJD has “not spoken a word against” the measure in the southern state.

Claiming that the previous Manmohan Singh-led government had given its “agreement” to reservations against Muslims, the Modi condemned the Congress and its “ecosystem” for “trying to overwhelm me, without success”.

“I will not allow reservations meant for SCs, STs and OBCs to be diverted for vote bank politics. This is Modis’ guarantee,” he said.

Modi reiterated that the Congress manifesto “carried the stamp of the Muslim League” and said the party’s “injustice against Hindus is being exposed”. He also coined the slogan Congress ki loot, zindagi ke saath bhi zindagi ke baad bhi, to allege that the opposition party wanted to deprive people of their property during their lifetime and deprive their descendants of it after death.

Prime Minister is scared and may even shed tears on stage: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday reacted angrily to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his attack on the grand old party. He said he is scared and might even shed tears on stage. “You have heard the Prime Minister’s speeches. He is afraid. It is possible that he may shed tears on the stage,” Gandhi said at a public meeting in this district capital in the party-ruled state.

Modi has addressed Congress on several issues during recent campaign rallies, including ‘mangalsutra’, ‘wealth redistribution’ and ‘inheritance tax’. The former Congress chief accused Modi of “diverting the attention of the public in various ways.”

First print: April 27, 2024 | 00:00 IST