Mayawati rakes up EVM issue, to move court against ‘tampering’

They have got this victory through tampering in the EVMs and this win smacks of dishonesty, fraud and murder of democracy Mayawati, BSP chief

— Smarting from the drubbing at the hustings, BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday decided to move court against the alleged tampering of EVMs and observe a ‘black day’ every month against the “murder of democracy” by the BJP.

Mayawati charged that the BJP victory in UP polls smacks of “dishonesty” and “fraud”.

“After we did not get a proper reply from the Election Commission on our complaint lodged with them soon after the results were announced on March 11, the party has decided to go to court in this matter so as to save (the country) from such a fraud in the future and save democracy,” she said.

The BSP leader was speaking to mediapersons ahead of addressing partymen at a review meeting on debacle in the recent polls.

BSP, which had 80 MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, managed to win just 19 seats in the 403-member House.

“Our party has also decided to launch an agitation in Uttar Pradesh and other states to expose this fraud...the party will observe ‘black day’ at all the district headquarters in UP and state headquarters in other states on the 11th of every month, the date on which they murdered democracy, and the first demonstration will be on April 11,” she said.

The BSP leader, who had alleged largescale tampering in the EVMs soon after results were announced on March 11, said that in order to hide its “dishonest victory”, BJP has now taken refuge in saying had that been the case they would have done the same in Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

“But they need not take the people as innocent...had they done the same in other states they would not have been able to give a proper reply to questions raised by people and would have been caught easily,” Mayawati said, adding they did not indulge in tampering in smaller states as they had to keep something for their defence.