Those not ready to accept mistakes blame EVMs: PM Narendra Modi

Modi criticised the Congress for doubting the EVMs, calling it a new disease. He said the BJP had only two seats at one point of time but had worked tirelessly to reach where it is now. “If one doesn’t have faith in oneself and if there is an absence of capability… then one looks for excuses… Those who are not ready to introspect and accept mistakes… they blame EVMs…”

He asked the Congress and the opposition not to disappoint their cadres.

“If you have the courage, come forward, prepare your cadre… this was not the last election… more elections will come… why are you so dejected?” he said. The Prime Minister said it was also mentioned in the House that the BJP won because of the media. “Is the media on sale? Was it on sale in Tamil Nadu and Kerala (where Congress and its allies won),” he asked. He also asked the political parties to consider his ‘one nation, one election’ suggestion instead of rejecting it without even giving it a thought.

The Prime Minister said that as many as 113 Assembly elections and four Lok Sabha elections were held using EVM, which was first used in 1982, and argued that every party has come to power in states in elections held using EVMs. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said EVMs were introduced by the party’s government. “You have a penchant for taking credit for everything. Take credit for this too. Why are you crying now after losing an election? What kind of attitude is this?”

Arguing that several Bills have lapsed as the Rajya Sabha did not pass them before the end of the 16th Lok Sabha’s term, Modi said the Upper House is a part of the federal structure of the country and its members must introspect and cooperate in framing of crucial legislations. He said those parties which had obstructed constructive work in Rajya Sabha have been punished by the voters in the recent general elections.

Modi said Pranab Mukherjee had once said that the majority has got the mandate to rule and the minority has the got the mandate to oppose but “nobody has got the mandate to obstruct”. “We don’t have majority in Rajya Sabha but the verdict of the people should not be throttled in the House,” he said.

Taking a jibe at Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who had said that he wanted the old India back, Modi said, “Do they want an old India where a Cabinet decision is torn in a press conference, where Navy assets are used for picnic, where scams are order of the day, where ‘tukde-tukde’ gang gets the support of leaders…”

PM Modi insulted RS, BJP must look into own track record: Congress

New Delhi: Hours after PM Narendra Modi said that parties which had obstructed work in the Upper House have been punished by voters, the Congress alleged that the Prime Minister has insulted the Council of States and that the BJP should look into its own track record as the main opposition party from 2004 to 2014 when several Bills were stopped.

“The Prime Minister has insulted the Rajya Sabha… He (PM) has called Rajya Sabha obstructionist… Rajya Sabha is doing its constitutional duty to ensure that every legislation goes through the legislative and parliamentary scrutiny before it is passed…,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said. He said the BJP’s own track record between 2004 and 2014, particularly between 2009 and 2014, should be made public. “How many Bills were stopped, how many constitutional amendments could not be passed…”—ENS