"Opposition's Dreams Shattered": PM On VVPAT Verdict. Congress Responds

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked the Opposition bloc INDIA after the Supreme Court rejected requests for 100 per cent VVPAT verification of votes punched into electronic voting machines (EVMs).

PM Modi said every Opposition leader has "committed the sin" of creating doubts in the minds of people about EVMs. "Their (Opposition) dreams have been shattered," PM Modi said in rally in Bihar as voting on 88 seats across India took place in the second of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.

"They did not let people exercise their right to vote for decades. Booth capturing was very common... They did not even let the people step out to vote... Now when the poor and honest voters have the strength of EVM, they are trying all they can to get rid of the EVM... Today, the Supreme Court has given a strong verdict saying that the old system of ballot paper voting will not come back," PM Modi said.

The clutch of petitions was filed by the non-profit Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and others.

In very strong remarks, the Supreme Court questioned the credentials of the ADR too. Justice Dipankar Datta said, "A trend has been fast developing of certain vested interest groups endeavouring to undermine the achievements and accomplishments of the nation."

"There seems to be a concerted effort to discredit, diminish, and weaken the progress of this great nation on every possible frontier. Any such effort, or rather attempt, has to be nipped in the bud," Justice Datta said.

Continuing his attack on the INDIA bloc, PM Modi said the Supreme Court verdict has "given such a shock to those who had the intention to loot ballot boxes that all their dreams have been shattered."

"See the power of democracy and constitution of Dr Ambedkar... Today, there are two main streams in politics. One stream is the BJP-led NDA which wants to strengthen the people of India... on the other side is INDIA alliance which wants to fill their own pockets by seizing the property of people," PM Modi said, referring to the row over Congress leader Sam Pitroda's comments that the policy of tax on inheritance passed down from parents to their children seemed "interesting".

Reacting to PM Modi's comments on the Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail, Congress leader Pawar Khera told reporters the Opposition would like to ask PM Modi whether BJP leader LK Advani was wrong in releasing a book authored by BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao questioning the reliability of EVMs.

Mr Rao in 2010 released the book, 'Democracy At Risk! Can We Trust Our Electronic Voting Machines?'. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power then.