Pressing the demand to replace Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday reached West Bengal and called on TMC Boss and CM Mamata Banerjee.
Speaking to media after meeting Banerjee, Raj Thackeray said he has invited her to attend an Anti-EVM rally called on August 21 in Maharashtra. ‘Mamata Banerjee has extended her support to the rally’, he told media.
He added that he came Kolkata to invite Mamata Banerjee for a massive rally called on August 21 in Maharashtra, against the use of EVM, while pressing to get back to Ballot paper to Save Democracy.
Talking to a reporter with Mamata Banerjee standing by his side, he added, ‘Mamata Didi is one of the key leaders of the opposition who is raising her voice over the issue’.
MNS leader Raj Thackeray after his meeting with Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata: I came to meet her on the issue of use of EVMs in polls. I've invited her for a 'morcha' in Mumbai. She told me that her party is committed towards saving democracy. She said, "Main hun,aisa samajh lena." pic.twitter.com/5MOLldriPr
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2019
However, Mamata Banerjee will not be a part of the rally because of her some pre-scheduled engagements.
Raising doubts over the EVMs, Raj Thackeray asked that ‘when we most of the developing countries have stopped using it, why we are still using in India?’. Responding to a question by a scribe whether the rally is just Anti-EVM or Anti-Modi, MNS Chief said that rally is called raising the EVM Issue.
However, he added that he has no problem its get turn into an anti-Modi rally.
In the meantime, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was also present with Thackeray, also backed his demand for rolling back EVMs. Mamata Banerjee said developing countries like USA and Japan have already stopped using the EVMs after getting to know about the drawback, but our India is still using these machines.
It should be noted that MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, early this month, had met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and demanded to get back to ballot papers. He also requested the CEC Sunil Arora to hold Maharashtra State Polls with Ballot papers instead of EVMs.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, had time and again raised questions and doubts over EVMs and claimed that they can be tamper, and can give advantage to incumbent BJP government.
During the course of national polls 2019, Trinamool Congress along with 23 other political parties had approached both the Poll Office and the Top Court against the use of EVMs in the elections but their complaints were dismissed.
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