BJP MP Nishikant Dubey Uses 1972 CPI(M) Paper to Target Congress on EVMs

In a sharp political attack against the ongoing opposition narrative demanding a return to paper ballots, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey has countered the Congress party by unearthing archival documents from its own political ally, the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Taking to social media platform X, the parliamentarian from Godda, Jharkhand, shared a historic March 1972 CPI(M) resolution that documented widespread booth capturing, institutional manipulation, voter intimidation, and targeted political violence orchestrated by the Congress regime during the West Bengal assembly elections of that era. Highlighting the controversial defeat of legendary Marxist stalwart Jyoti Basu in the Baranagar constituency, Dubey accused the contemporary Congress-led opposition of blatant political hypocrisy for disparaging secure Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) while conveniently overlooking the dark, violent history of physical ballot paper elections.Unearthing the 1972 Bengal Elections: Left Document Details Midnight Booth RiggingDubey placed historical records into the center of the contemporary voting technology debate:The Archival CPI(M) Resolution: The Godda lawmaker shared excerpts from a March 1972 CPI(M) party resolution that explicitly recorded how ballot paper elections were allegedly subverted in West Bengal under Congress rule.Assault on Jyoti Basu: Dubey highlighted the CPI(M) account of the counting day in the Baranagar assembly segment, writing: "See the CPI(M)'s March 1972 resolution demanding elections using ballot papers. The Congress captured the booths, turned off the lights, declared the results at night, beat up Comrade Jyoti Basu and threw him out of the counting room, and lost the election."Subverting Democratic Mandates: According to the 1972 Marxist pamphlet, the ruling Congress establishment deployed state machinery and local musclemen to forcefully occupy polling stations, intimidate genuine electors, and pre-stamp ballot bundles to orchestrate artificial majorities.The Baranagar Defeat: The historical record underlined the controversial defeat of former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu by a margin exceeding 39,000 votes, a statistical outcome the CPI(M) immediately denounced as a complete mockery of democratic franchise, leading the Left Front to boycott legislative proceedings between 1972 and 1977.Taking Aim at Rahul Gandhi: BJP Questions Opposition's EVM DistrustThe senior parliamentarian directed sharp criticism toward Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his party's repeated questions regarding election machinery:Height of Ignorance: Targeting the Leader of Opposition, Dubey remarked: "Rahul Gandhi ji, the Election Commission should be shut down and the elections should be boycotted—it's all written in it. How can he protest now? This is the height of ignorance and the height of hate-mongering."Selective Political Amnesia: The BJP MP noted that current partners in the opposition coalition maintain detailed historical records proving that physical ballot papers facilitated widespread electoral malpractice, yet continue to demand the abolishment of digital voting machines.Institutional Credibility: Dubey argued that replacing verifiable, tamper-evident EVM systems with outdated paper ballots would drag India’s democratic processes back into an era marked by daylight booth capture and physical intimidation.EVMs vs. Paper Ballots: The Enduring Battle Over Electoral IntegrityThe political skirmish reflects a broader institutional divide over India's voting mechanisms:Opposition's Skepticism: The Congress and allied parties continue to voice reservations regarding the transparency of EVMs, frequently petitioning constitutional courts and organizing public demonstrations demanding paper audit reforms.Technological Safeguards: The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling NDA consistently defend standalone EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units as foolproof, decentralized systems that effectively eradicated booth capturing and ballot box stuffing from Indian polling stations.Historical Warning: By placing the CPI(M)'s 1972 grievances back into the public domain, the treasury benches aim to remind voters of the logistical vulnerabilities and law-and-order breakdowns that characterized nationwide paper ballot polling before technological intervention.