The Hindu : National : Observer created conditions for Dalits to vote freely: Paswan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 03, 2005

National

National

Observer created conditions for Dalits to vote freely: Paswan

Special Correspondent

`Low percentage is the result of EC permitting genuine voting "It is unfortunate that some parties are targeting Mr. Rao for securing the arrest of the brother of a Minister who was moving about with guns and bombs."

NEW DELHI : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday praised the Election Commission for conducting a violence-free poll in Bihar.

"I congratulate the EC and its observer K.J. Rao on creating conditions in which Dalits and the poor have voted freely for the first time since Independence. The low percentage is the result of the EC permitting genuine voting. This will greatly benefit the Lok Jan Shakti Party and its allies."

Drawing on his experience, Mr. Paswan told newsmen here that in the past Dalit votes were cast by others. But this was not the case in this election. I want to congratulate Mr. Rao on that". It was unfortunate that some parties were targeting him for the securing the arrest of the brother of a Union Minister who was moving about with guns and bombs on the polling day on October 18.

"Even some of my candidates are in jail and the EC has sent me notice for my stand on making a Muslim the next Chief Minister. It is the EC's job to take cognisance of complaints and ask parties for explanation or take action. Can you say a judge is biased because he has sentenced a person?''

Mr. Paswan parried questions on Union Minister Jai Prakash Yadav, who is wanted by the police on the charge of getting his brother freed from custody, saying it was for the Prime Minister to decide whether or not to keep him in the Cabinet. However, Mr. Paswan said, had this been the case with him, he would have quit the Cabinet.

Mr. Paswan expressed surprise at the Rashtriya Janata Dal giving ticket to the former State Minister, Lalit Yadav, who was "forced" to resign for allegedly confining and torturing a Dalit. He did not agree with the exit polls as they took place before the parties finalised candidates for nearly half the seats. "Elections in Bihar largely depend on the caste profiles of the candidates. It is difficult to make predictions even before the candidates are announced."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News Update

Stories in this Section