Oppn parties raise concern over EVMs only when they lose: Javadekar

BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday targeted opposition leaders who have raised doubts over the functioning of EVMs, asking them how is it possible that the voting machines function well when they win and don't when they lose.

The Union minister cited the results of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan assembly polls in December last year, to say that opposition parties have been selectively raising the issue of malfunctioning of EVMs.

"How come EVMs were good when Opposition won election in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? (When) other parties formed governments in Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana and Tamil Nadu?" Javadekar said at a press conference in Jaipur.

"When they lose they start questioning EVMs, saying they are faulty," he said.

His comments came a day after some opposition leaders, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, raised doubts that EVMs can be manipulated.

The two leaders addressed a joint presser in Mumbai where leaders of Congress, TMC, AAP, Left parties and DMK were present.

They alleged that technology was being "misused" to favour the BJP.

"After the first phase, they held a press conference in New Delhi, and in Mumbai after the third phase concluded yesterday. This shows their nervousness," Javadekar said.

He said the voter turnout in many states in the three phases has dropped when compared to 2014, and claimed that this showed opposition parties have lost "5 per cent" of the votes they had won in the last general election.

"There is a statistics that many states have witnessed 5 per cent less voting than in 2014. This is our ground report that opposition parties have lost the votes because of being leaderless, bankruptcy of ideas and negative politics.

"We are moving towards a historic win and this would probably be the first time after many years that people are voting on pro-incumbency factor," he asserted.

About 300 Lok Sabha constituencies have voted in the three phases of Lok Sabha polls.

Javadekar said people are voting for the BJP with "more confidence" than they had in the party in 2014.

"They are voting for a stronger government and on issues of security and progress and empowerment of the poor. All these are achievements of the Modi government," he said.

Responding to a question on the BJP raising rhetoric on Pakistan and terrorism, he said, "Pakistan has become a centre of terrorism. Several countries are against Pakistan. Congress speaks against Modi everyday but doesn't utter even a word against Pakistan.

"We say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and they question us. Who has stopped them from saying it.