New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Friday took a dig at the opposition INDIA bloc and said that when the results were declared he was concerned if the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are 'dead or alive' referring to the allegations of EVM rigging.
He alleged that the opposition tried to blame the EVMs and thus weaken the Election Commission of India.
"When results were coming out on June 4, I was busy with work.
Phone calls started coming in later. I asked someone, numbers are fine, tell me EVM zinda hai ki mar gaya (Is the EVM dead or alive).
Before 4 June, these people (opposition) were constantly blaming EVMs and they were determined to make people lose faith in the democratic process of India.
I thought they would take out the funeral procession of the EVM," PM Modi said while addressing the meeting of newly elected MPs of the alliance on Friday in Parliament.
"But by the evening of June 4, unko taale lag gaye. EVM ne unko chup kar diya (EVM silenced them). This is the strength of India's democracy, its fairness.
I hope I won't get to hear about EVM for 5 years. But when we go into 2029, perhaps they will again harp about EVM. The country will never forgive them," he added.
He also targeted the Congress party and said, "Even after 10 years, Congress could not touch the figure of 100 seats. If we combine the 2014, 2019 and 2024 elections, Congress did not even get as many seats as BJP got in this election.
I can clearly see the people of the INDI alliance were sinking slowly earlier, now they are going to sink at a fast pace."
Earlier this week, leaders of parties in the NDA held a meeting and passed a resolution to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their leader.
According to sources, Narendra Modi is likely to take oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time on June 9. (with Agency inputs)
