the goan I network
PANAJI
Following exit polls in the country leaning strongly towards the NDA coming back to power, the Congress on Tuesday demanded a ban on exit poll agencies who wilfully misguide people.
Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) needed to ban exit polls that did not reflect ground reality.
“By themselves, exit polls are not bad. But with the exit poll results that came out recently, we saw that facts were not being reflected. These exit polls only benefit the ruling party. Now, anything can happen, and there’s a strong possibility of EVM manipulation,” said Kavlekar, urging the ECI to either lay down strong guidelines for exit polls, or ban them entirely.
Kavlekar also alleged that the results of the exit polls would lead to the BJP “managing” the election outcome. “On the ground, Congress was doing really well, especially in Goa. Now suddenly, the BJP is winning in the exit polls. Is the BJP trying for a back door entry like how they did in Goa, even though the Congress had the peoples’ mandate?” he questioned.
The LoP also urged the ECI to keep a close watch on how things played out now as the exit polls could affect the outcome of the elections. “Things have to be monitored very closely on counting day,” he said. “The electorate has been favourable towards the Congress. People have supported us hugely for both the Lok Sabha and by-poll seats,” he added.
The Congress also said that if the counting process was entirely transparent, then photojournalists ought to be allowed when counting was being done.
...Calls for inquiry into disappearance of victim in alleged Babush rape case
PANAJI: The Congress on Tuesday demanded an inquiry into the temporary “disappearance” of the victim in the Babush’s alleged rape case.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Babu Kavlekar said that while an inquiry at any level was an absolute must, it would be better if the election commission themselves held it.
He also alleged that the victim girl was purposely made to disappear just before the elections. The girl was finally traced in a Mapusa flat on Monday by the South Goa police.
