J&K BJP slams Farooq Abdullah over his 'EVM is chor machine' remark

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit Wednesday hit out at NC president Farooq Abdullah over his remark about the EVM machine and alleged that he wanted the ballot paper system to be brought back so that his party could rig the polls.

Speaking at the united opposition rally organised by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee last week, Abdullah had dubbed the EVM as "chor (thief) machine" and demanded that the ballot paper system be brought back "for the sake of transparency".

The BJP "denounces" Abdullah's statement, party state spokesperson Balbir Rattan Ram.

Such statements reflect the inner designs of the opposition parties as they know that they will be defeated in the upcoming polls, he told reporters here.

The BJP leader claimed that the objective behind the opposition's campaign against the EVMs was to belittle the Election Commission.

Ram accused the NC of rigging the 1987 state assembly polls by changing ballot boxes and through bogus voting.

What happened in 1987, when NC came to power amid allegations of rigging polls, is known to all as it resulted in the birth of militancy in Kashmir, he said.

The Election Commission had in November last said fresh assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held within the next six months. The state is currently under President's rule.