A day before counting of votes begins for the 17th Lok Sabha elections, the Home Ministry on Wednesday put out a nation-wide alert to states about possible eruption of violence in different parts of the country in connection with the counting of votes.
JUST IN | @HMOIndia alerts the State Chief Secretaries & DsGP
regarding possibility of eruption of violence in different parts of the
country in connection with the counting of votes tomorrow. MHA
asks States and UTs to maintain law & order, peace & public tranquility.— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 22, 2019
The centre’s advisory comes just a day after former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha threatened of bloodshed in Bihar if any attempt is made to steal ‘the peoples’ votes’. While responding to Kushwaha’s remarks, Union minister and the BJP ally in Bihar Ram Vilas Paswan said that ‘there will be a tit for tat’.
“The Home ministry has asked states and union territories to maintain law and order, peace and public tranquility and take adequate measures for the security of strong rooms and venues of counting of votes,” a Home Ministry statement said.
States/UTs were further asked to take adequate measures for the security of strong rooms and venues of counting of votes. This is in the wake of calls given and statements made in various quarters for inciting violence and causing disruption on the day of counting of votes.
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 22, 2019
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The ministry, however, did not spell out the statements that had provoked the advisory ahead of counting of votes but said the alert had been sounded ‘in the wake of calls given and statements made in various quarters’ for inciting violence and causing disruption on the day of counting of votes.
The unusual advisory comes against the backdrop of a sharp campaign by opposition parties against the Election Commission who they accuse of interpreting the law and rules in favour of the ruling alliance.