Chhatrapur: As usage of electronic voting machines (EVMs) becomes controversial day by day in Indian elections, Omkar Singh Dhillon of Uttarakhand has started his padyatra in support of previously existing ballot paper and covered the Ganjam district.
According to reports, he started his journey August 18 last year, in order to create awareness among voters, politicians and policy makers across the country. So far, he has met people from all walks of life and covered a distance of about 4,500 km in his mission.
“A government that is formed by stealing votes can neither be good for the country nor it can do any good to its citizens.” Dhillon has a cause to fight for and a message to convey to the people across all states. He reached Chhatrapur headquarters in Ganjam district after covering states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. He has plans to travel to West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.
Dhillon’s ambitious journey would come to an end towards last week of March or first week of April this year. “EVMs can be manipulated easily and one cannot make out if the officials or government are cheating us. Whereas in the ballot paper one can easily make out if the government or officials are cheating,” Dhillon asserted with a gleam.
It may be mentioned here that the Election Commission in September last year ruled out the use of ballot papers in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, terming them “history” and defended EVMs, saying these machines cannot be tampered with.
PNN