By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:After the Biju Janata Dal was rejected by the people of Odisha in the 2024 general elections, the leaders of the party are in a state of mental depression. In that regard, they do not know what rhetoric they are making. BJD is going to become the lowest political party in Odisha politics, this is reflected in its various rhetoric, said State General Secretary Shri Biranchi Narayan Tripathi at the state office today.
Mr. Tripathi said that after a long time of elections, BJD has now raised the issue of EVM and 17C form. Since EVMs were implemented in the country, BJD has won in 4 out of 5 elections. When they were winning, they did not question EVMs, but now after losing, why are they lying and saying that it is a mistake? BJD will give an answer. During the elections, those who are agents in the booths bring 17C forms from the presiding officer in the said booth. There were about 37,800 booths in the last general elections. At that time, BJD was supposed to have 37,800 agents in these booths.
And if the Lok Sabha and the Assembly are combined, then about 75,000 agents were supposed to be in various booths. But no agent was found in any booth with 17C form. The people of Odisha will judge how far it is right to raise this question now, many days after the elections and after losing. If they have evidence, they can take the matter to the High Court or the Supreme Court as per the constitutional system of India. But the BJD is not doing that and is making cheap comments in the media. The Supreme Court has already said that it has not received any evidence of EVM tampering. It has even said that EVM tampering cannot be possible. If the BJD has evidence to prove that the Supreme Court is wrong, then to protect democracy, it is necessary to give evidence to the Supreme Court.
BJD has again alleged that BJP won the elections by using government employees. Before 2024, there was a BJD government in Odisha. At that time, the employees of the Odisha government managed the elections. How did BJD win the elections then? The employees who manage the elections do not work as a party. Because the governments of political parties come and go, but the employees remain. It is very condemnable to blame such employees for their defeat. The people of Odisha will not forgive such comments and the government employees will never accept them. If the BJD has information against any government employee, it should be made public.
The Constitution of India also has a provision to take action against the concerned employees as per the constitutional provisions. But the BJD is constantly talking in front of the media without giving any information. This is not acceptable in a civilized society. In the post-election period, while the BJD is in a civil war, with its workers leaving the party and joining the BJP every day, the BJD is playing this drama through the media to divert attention from this issue.
Similarly, the question raised by the BJD on SIR should first be known that SIR has been conducted 9 times in the country since independence. The responsibility of reviewing and revising the voters’ list lies with the Election Commission. Since the BJD is opposing this, it seems that it no longer has faith in democracy. Doesn’t the BJD want the country and the state to run through democracy?
Another issue raised by the BJD is that the data of the citizens of the country is being kept with the Indian government. Who are the voters of the country, will this data not be kept with the Indian government but with foreigners? This country is not a dharmashala where no one has any account of whoever comes and stays. Due to such low mentality of the BJD, the people of Odisha have rejected it today. Biju Janata Dal cannot remain in power without it, this is a shining example of that, said Mr. Tripathi.
