UP: BSP holds protests against ‘EVM tampering’ in all 75 districts

Later, in a statement, Mayawati claimed that the “grand demonstrations” organised by BSP on ‘Virodh Diwas’ in all districts and capitals of other states were “powerful”.

BSP National General Secretary Nasimuddin Siddiqui at a dharna in Lucknow on Tuesday. Vishal Srivastav

THE BSP on Tuesday held demonstrations in all 75 districts of the state, alleging “tampering” of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recent Assembly elections. It also demanded that the Election Commission should return to the system of voting by ballot papers. Hardly 500 people turned up for BSP’s demonstration at Laxman Mela Ground in Lucknow, where party general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui was leading the protest along with candidates of nine Assembly constituencies of the district.

Later, in a statement, Mayawati claimed that the “grand demonstrations” organised by BSP on ‘Virodh Diwas’ in all districts and capitals of other states were “powerful”. She alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah “have not just murdered the democracy in UP and Uttarakhand in their hunger for power, but also greatly misused money and power to trample on the mandate in Goa and Manipur”.

“It was being reported that BSP was winning the UP elections after four phases of polling… but the situation was different when the results were announced,” Siddiqui said in Lucknow, adding that it was surprising that BJP got votes in Dalit and Muslim-dominated areas.

“Traffic was not stopped for Behenji’s fleet till the third phase of polling was over. But after the fourth phase, traffic used to be stopped when her fleet passed. Mediapersons were congratulating us. The memorials (built under previous Mayawati government) were being cleaned. Everyone knew that Behenji was going to become the chief minister,” he claimed.

While asking party workers not to get “demoralised”, Siddiqui urged them to attend Mayawati’s public meeting at Ambedkar Memorial in Lucknow on Friday on the occasion of the Dalit icon’s birth anniversary.

Earlier, Mayawati had announced that her party will observe the 11th day of every month as ‘Virodh Diwas’, as results of the recent Assembly elections were declared on March 11. She had alleged that BSP had performed dismally in the polls because the EVMs were tampered with to favour BJP nominees. The BSP had also moved the Supreme Court on the use of EVMs in the elections.

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