Maharashtra: MVA protests against EVMs on Vidhan Bhawan steps

Opposition members staged a demonstration on the steps of the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhawan on 16 December, Monday, and raised slogans against the use of EVMs in elections.

The protest was held on the opening day of the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur.

Leader of the opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve led the demonstration by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, who called for saving the Constitution and democracy and opposed the use of EVMs.

They raised slogans like 'EVM hatao, desh bachao (remove the EVMs, save the nation)', 'EVM hatao, Constitution bachao (remove the EVMs, save the Constitution)' and 'EVM hatao, democracy bachao (remove the EVMs, save democracy)'.

Danve was joined by Congress legislators Vijay Wadettiwar, Nitin Raut, Bhai Jagtap and Vikas Thakre, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Bhaskar Jadhav, Varun Desai and Sachin Ahir and NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad.

Talking to reporters, Danve claimed the electronic voting machines were "dangerous" for democracy and that people were opposing the use of EVMs in elections.

"We think the EVMs should be removed and elections should be held on ballot papers," the Sena (UBT) leader said.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had on Sunday, 15 December, slammed the opposition MVA for terming the ruling Mahayuti a "government of the EVM".

"Our government came to power because every vote has gone for Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.

Reacting to it, Danve quipped, "Every vote for ballot paper."

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap said that the EVM rather implied 'Every Vote for Mahayuti'. He alleged that the Centre and the BJP-led Maharashtra government had misused the EVMs.

The Congress and MVA will raise awareness about the use of ballot papers in elections instead of EVMs, Jagtap said.

NCP (SP) MLA from Beed, Sandeep Kshirsagar, alleged the involvement of local NCP functionary Valmik Karad in the last week's murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of a village in the district.

Kshirsagar demanded justice for Deshmukh and said if the demand is not fulfilled, a huge morcha will be held in Beed after the winter session of the legislature.