Sharad Yadav wants paper ballots in elections

New Delhi : Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) patron Sharad Yadav on Monday demanded that the general elections be held through the ballot paper as there were doubts about the electronic voting machines in the minds of the voters.

"There are doubts over the EVMs in the minds of the people. And despite the Supreme Court order of May, 2017 the Commission has not fulfilled its promise over the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)," he told a press conference here.

Yadav said that many people might not participate in elections because of their apprehensions over the voting machines which would be very dangerous. "So the elections should be done through ballot paper," he said.

"The Commission must take some robust step to clear the doubts of the voters. And I shall soon hold a rally in Delhi named 'Vote bachao, Desh bachao' (save vote, save country)," he said adding many developed countries are using the ballot paper now a days.

He said that he was not in favour of the idea of one nation, one election.

Yadav also attacked the Narendra Modi government accusing it of not helping Kerala.

"Following the devastating floods, the Kerala government demanded Rs 20,000 crore from the centre, but the central government gave only Rs 600 crore. And when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tried to help Kerala, then it was rejected by the central government," he said.

Slamming the Prime Minister, Yadav said that during his 'Mann ki baat' monthly broadcast programme Modi said that the entire nation was standing with Kerala.

"Entire people of the country is standing with the people of Kerala except the central government, as it is not helping Kerala properly," he said.

Attacking the NDA government over the issue of employment, Yadav said that they are making big claims on employment but the facts were completely different.

Yadav said there is no rule of law of in the country as people are lynched in the name of cows and eating habits.

"Now mobs are killing people in the name of religion, lands from the tribals are being snatched, women in the country are not safe," he said.