Opposition knows Election Commission is independent: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Jun 07, 2024
New Delhi [India], June 6 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who won from Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency said on Friday that even the opposition knows that the Election Commission is "completely independent" but it does not believe this at times.
"Our Election Commission is completely independent and impartial, the entire world knows it, the opposition also knows it, but many times they do not believe it," Chouhan said speaking to ANI when asked about the Opposition's claims about Electronic Voting Machines.
The newly elected MP from Vidisha said that the country has seen multiple changes in power and has set an example in the world. Chouhan won the Vidisha seat by a record margin of 8,21,408 votes.
"It is self-evident that Indian democracy is an example for the world. Free and fair elections are the speciality of India. The country has seen several changes in power through votes. We have seen change in government in 1977, and then in the 1990s there were changes in government and the Congress lost power," Chouhan said.
This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the opposition INDIA bloc and said that when the results were declared he was concerned if the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are 'dead or alive' referring to the allegations of EVM rigging.
PM Modi alleged that the opposition tried to blame the EVMs and thus weaken the Election Commission of India.
"When results were coming out on June 4, I was busy with work. Phone calls started coming in later. I asked someone, numbers are fine, tell me EVM zinda hai ki mar gaya (Is the EVM dead or alive). Before 4 June, these people (opposition) were constantly blaming EVMs and they were determined to make people lose faith in the democratic process of India. I thought they would take out the funeral procession of the EVM," PM Modi said while addressing the meeting of newly elected MPs of the alliance on Friday in Parliament.
"But by the evening of June 4, unko taale lag gaye. EVM ne unko chup kar diya (EVM silenced them). This is the strength of India's democracy, its fairness. I hope I won't get to hear about EVM for 5 years. But when we go into 2029, perhaps they will again harp about EVM. The country will never forgive them," he added.
