CEC Rajiv Kumar uses poetry to rebut criticism of EVMs

PTI, Mar 16, 2024, 7:51 PM IST

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New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar used a verse on Saturday to take a dig at the critics of electronic voting machines (EVMs), saying the poll authority is often at the receiving end of “unfulfilled desires”.

“Adhoori hasrato ka iljam har bar hum par lagana thik nahi, wafa khud se nahi hoti, khata EVM ki kehte ho, aur baad mein jab parinam aata hai toh uspe qayam bhi nahi rehte,” Kumar said, announcing the seven-phase Lok Sabha election.

The couplet, which Kumar said he thought of on Friday night, means it is not proper to blame the Election Commission for unfulfilled desires when one has not done his or her job properly.

He said this to buttress the point that even ruling parties have lost elections when EVMs were used for polling.

Apparently anticipating a vitriolic poll campaign, the CEC also urged political parties and leaders to refrain from abusing and vilifying their rivals.

He quoted a couplet from Bashir Badr: “Dushmani jam ke karo, lekin yeh gunjaish rahe, jab kabhi hum dost ho jaye toh sharminda na ho.”

“You can be sworn enemies, but let there be scope for not being ashamed when you become friends,” he said, adding that these days, there are many cases of foes turning friends again.

The CEC also quoted a couplet of Rahim: “Rahiman dhaga prem ka, mat todo chatkay, toote pe phir na jude, jude gaath pari jaaye.”

It broadly means that the threads of love, once broken, cannot be healed and even if they are repaired, the creases still remain.

On the prevalence of fake news during elections, Kumar urged the voters not to share such unverified information.

“Jhooth ke bazaar mein raunak to bahut hai, goya bulbule jaisi turant hi fat jati hai … pakad bhi loge to kya hasil hoga siwaye dhokhe ke,” he said.

Loosely translated, the couplet reads that the world of lies is attractive but short-lived, even if you achieve it, what will you get except betrayal?