Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is in the election fray from the Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency, his home turf, after over 30 years.
Mr. Singh has been a vocal critic of conducting elections using electronic voting machines (EVMs) and has raised several questions about the process. He even blamed the Congress’ defeat in the 2023 State Assembly elections on the EVMs. The Supreme Court, recently in a judgement, upheld the EVM polling system and underscored the need to “exercise care and caution” when raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
In an interview with The Hindu, the 77-year-old Congress veteran says that while he is yet to study the Supreme Court’s verdict, the Election Commission of India has not answered the basic questions concerning the EVMs and its software. “The whole issue is that the chances of manipulation through the software is very likely and can’t be ruled out. This by itself disturbs the whole mandate of the people,” Mr. Singh said. He also hit out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over issues like mangalsutra, machhli (fish), meat, Muslims.
How do you see the Congress’ performance after two rounds of polling, mainly in Madhya Pradesh? And how do you see the dip in voting percentage in both rounds?
I won’t be able to say much about this because I am contesting elections from here [Rajgarh] after a long period so I have spent all my time here. But, voting has decreased compared to the last [2019] elections. I am not able to understand the reason but I think the Congress will benefit from this. People are troubled. Farmers, labourers, small and medium businesspersons are troubled. The economy is in bad shape. People are being fired from jobs. So, there is a change in the situations.
There is a visible difference in the campaigning of the Congress and the BJP. You are also focusing on your seat so far, but the BJP’s national leaders have visited the State more times than the Congress national leaders in the first two phases.
The thing with our election is that I am contesting on local issues and on local polling booths. Earlier when a big leader used to contest, the workers from across the State would go to help them, but I have asked them to focus in their respective areas and seats. You can come here once the polling is done in your areas.
As far as big [national] leaders are concerned, the public has become so aware now a days. Earlier, the speeches would make an impact but now the public is on social media, reads newspapers and even watches godi media. The public is smart now.
Recently, Amit Shah launched all sorts of attacks on you. Probably, this is the first time that the BJP’s national leadership is attacking a Congress leader in MP in this election. The Home Minister did not directly attack Kamal Nath when he went to Chhindwara. Why do you think you are in the line of fire?
Obviously, he likes me a lot.
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had raised the issue of caste census in the Assembly polls, but it did not seem to have worked on the ground? Mr. Gandhi is again campaigning on the same lines. How do you think it’s gonna work this time and what has changed on the ground?
It is not the only issue. It is one of the five guarantees [announced by the Congress under its ‘Hissedari Nyay (participatory justice)’ promise ahead of Lok Sabha polls]. Caste and socio-economic survey is important as there should be uniformity in development. We are seeing that it’s not uniform. Some people are getting all the benefits and some are not getting at all. So, the whole idea of Mr. Gandhi is to have uniform growth and uniform opportunity for everyone.
You have been one of the most prominent voices against the use of EVMs and the current election system. But, recently the Supreme Court, in a judgement, upheld the EVM polling system and underscored the need to “exercise care and caution” when raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process. How do you see this verdict with regards to the election system going forward?
I have not studied the Supreme Court judgement, but unfortunately, the basic questions have not been answered by the Election Commission. Our basic question is that when the software is loaded into the EVMs, is it connected by the internet to the central server of the Election Commission? They said it’s a standalone machine. But now the commissioning of the symbol loading unit in the VVPAT is taking place in Rajgarh and, obviously, it is being loaded after the software has been fed through the internet by the Election Commission of India. So, how is it a standalone machine?
My second question is whether it is a one-time programmable chip or multiple programmable chip. The EC is always saying it is a one-time programmable chip and anyone who tries to meddle with the software, it will burn out . But, here it is a multiple-programmable chip. So, these are the basic questions.
The point is that after the software is coming, the machine only listens to the software fed into it. It does not obey the command of the person who is operating it. Therefore, why should the ECI not declare the software? Why does it not make it public? The whole issue is that the chances of manipulation through the software are very likely and can’t be ruled out. This by itself disturbs the whole mandate of the people.
But, do you think that the Supreme Court verdict or the entire case does not address the subjects you have raised?
See, most of the issues (discussed as part of the case) were that the VVPAT slips should be counted 100%. But, that is not the issue. The issue is because the control unit is given command by the software in the VVPAT. So, the software which is giving command to the control unit and to the printer unit in the VVPAT will always be the same.
What is most important is that the ballot unit command of the voter is not going to the control unit. It is going through the VVPAT which has a software and the software can manipulate the results. That is my issue.
How do you see the change in campaign tone and language from the BJP and the Congress after the two phases?
This is not happening from both sides, but only one side. We have been very clear on that. Just see our manifesto. It is completely focused on the issues that concern all of us. Poverty is increasing constantly. Inflation is on the rise. People are not getting employment. Our institutions’ rights are being interfered with. The Election Commission is completely biased towards one side. All these points are there.
The Prime Minister is not saying anything about Manipur. There is an agitation going on in Ladakh. Such agitations in the border areas have always been a danger to our internal security. None of these issues are being discussed.
The issues that are being discussed are mangalsutra, machhli (fish), meat, Muslims. These are not the real issues.