(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) In a bold and innovative move aimed at tackling the rampant spread of fake news, hate speech, and baseless allegations concerning electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the run-up to the highly anticipated Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar unveiled a novel strategy: the power of poetry.
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In a press conference held on Saturday to announce the dates for the upcoming elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar took to the art of 'shayari', or poetry, to send a strong message to political parties and voters on misinformation, fake news, political hate and EVM bogey. This unconventional approach marks a significant departure from traditional methods of communication and underscores the Election Commission's commitment to addressing the challenges posed by misinformation and divisive rhetoric.
During his address, the CEC
described four-fold challenges as "money, muscle, misinformation and MCC violations" in the upcoming elections. "ECI is committed and has put in place measures to deal with these disruptive challenges," Kumar said.
The CEC also said the poll panel will be very strict with regard to the use of muscle power during elections.
"We will be ruthless if violence takes place anywhere during polls," Kumar told a press conference.
He informed that money seizures rose by 835 per cent to Rs 3,400 crore in last 11 state polls during 2022-23. "We won't allow misuse of money power," Kumar said further.
He specifically cautioned against anyone resorting to spreading fake news during elections. The EC will also use technology to deal with these challenges. "ECI offers 27 apps & portals for all stakeholders. cVigil empowers citizens to report MCC violations & assured action within 100 mts. KYC app facilitates informed voting," the poll panel posted on X.
CEC Rajiv Kumar also sent a strong message to political parties to adhere to advisories issued to them.
"During the campaigning, please do not try to cross the red line. This is important because in this digital world, once you say somehting, it remains for hundreds of years. Please avoid creating digital memory of bad words coming from your mouth. Once there is a fight, the thread of love breaks. Rahim had said, 'rahiman dhaaga prem ka, mat toro chatakaay. toote pe phir na jure, jure gaanth paree jaay'," he said.
Rajiv Kumar requested the political parties to avoid personal attacks and maintain decorum during the campaign. For this he recited this couplet of famous Urdu poet Bashir Badr. "Dushmani jamkar karo lekin yeh gunjayish rahe, jab kabhi hum dost ho jaaye toh sharminda na ho," the CEC recited. He additionally emphasized the trend of swiftly forming alliances and hostilities. He urged parties to refrain from engaging in rhetoric so contentious that it irreversibly sours their relationships, leading to stagnant progress.
In the last part of his speech, CEC Rajeev Kumar also talked about EVMs. Taking a dig at those who find faults in EVMs, the CEC recited the lines, "Adhuri hasraton ka ilzaam har baar hum par lagaana thik nahi, wafa khud se nahi hoti khata EVM ki kehte hai."
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CEC Rajiv Kumar announced that the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place in seven phases, commencing from April 19 and concluding with the results being announced on June 4. The subsequent phases are set for April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.
Concurrently, assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are slated for April 19, with Andhra Pradesh following suit on May 13. Meanwhile, Odisha's assembly elections are divided into four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.
Additionally, 26 assembly constituencies will undergo bypolls. Joining Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar in the announcement were the newly appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. The crucial counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
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