BJP MLA from Fatehpura, Ramesh Katara, stoked a controversy, when he threatened the voters by saying that prime minister Narendra Modi has installed cameras at the polling booths and if they want jobs, they should vote for BJP. He was speaking at the election campaign for the BJP candidate from Dahod, Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, on Tuesday.
Image Courtesy: Indian Express
Katara said, “You’ll see the photo of Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor and lotus symbol on the EVM, look for that and press the button. There should not be any room for error as Modi sa’ab has installed cameras this time.” Katara further added, “Who voted for the BJP, who for the Congress, it can be seen. Aadhaar Card and all cards have your photo now, if there are fewer votes from your booth then he will come to know who did not cast vote and then you will not get jobs.”
Opposition parties have reacted sharply to Katara’s threat. The RJD, led by Lalu Prasad Yadav, tweeted, “Helpless, voiceless citizens are intimidated into voting for them. Such issues will have an impact.”
This is not the first time that a BJP member has tried to intimidate the voters this election season. Earlier, Women and Child Development Minister, Maneka Gandhi at a public meeting in her constituency Sultanpur, had said that if Muslims do not vote for her, “My feelings get hurt. If Muslims then come to me asking for work, then I will think let it be, how does it matter?”, making it clear that she would work against those who do not vote for her. Despite a huge outcry, she told villagers at another rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, where her son Varun Gandhi is contesting that the villages would be graded for the development work depending on the votes BJP receives. Consequently, the Election Commission has barred Gandhi from campaigning for 48 hours. The BJP MP from Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj, threatened to curse people if they don’t vote for him in the upcoming elections.
The Election Commission has sent a notice to Katara for his remarks. Predictably, denying all allegations, Katara has said that the video, which is going viral on social media, is fabricated and is a political conspiracy.