Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Delhi Police arrested former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh, along with several other prominent Congress leaders, for participating in an unauthorised protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Despite the lack of permission, the leaders had gathered to stage a peaceful demonstration against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the country’s elections.

The protest, organised under the banner of “Remove EVMs, Save Democracy,” aimed to highlight concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process. Digvijaya Singh confirmed his participation through a post on his social media account, stating that he had accepted the invitation to join the peaceful demonstration against EVMs, which he believes undermines the democratic process.

However, the Delhi Police intervened and arrested Digvijaya Singh and other leaders, citing violations of law and order. This move has sparked criticism from opposition leaders, with Digvijaya Singh questioning the apprehension tactics employed by the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Udit Raj, a prominent Dalit leader, expressed concerns over what he perceives as a growing authoritarian trend in the country. He linked the crackdown on protests to the ongoing farmers’ agitation and alleged that the Modi government is suppressing dissent to avoid addressing issues like corruption, inflation, and unemployment.

Notably, the protest against EVMs has gained momentum across the nation, with demands for a return to paper ballots to ensure the transparency and fairness of elections. Digvijaya Singh reiterated the Congress party’s long-standing apprehensions regarding EVMs, pointing out the lack of satisfactory responses from the Election Commission to concerns raised by various quarters.

Published on: Thursday, February 22, 2024, 06:13 PM IST