Sharad Pawar, 83, Supports 96-Year-Old Baba Adhav's Hunger Strike Against EVMs in Pune

Pune, Nov 30 (NationPress) In response to the escalating calls for reverting to paper ballot voting, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Sharad Pawar met the legendary social activist, Dr. Babasaheb Pandurang Adhav, commonly referred to as Baba Adhav, and endorsed his three-day hunger strike against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on Saturday morning.

Pawar, aged 83, visited the 96-year-old Baba Adhav, who has been on a fast since November 28, and conveyed his full support regarding the issue that has stirred political debates following the Maharashtra Assembly elections results (announced on November 23).

In addition to the NCP (SP), senior leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray and prominent Congress figures, as well as NCP Chief Ajit Pawar, are expected to meet Baba Adhav later today. He has raised alarms regarding the Election Commission of India (ECI), advocating for the preservation of democracy and the Constitution.

Baba Adhav stated, "There have been significant inconsistencies in the voter turnout data published by the ECI, which has been frequently altered, and the vote-counting process was allegedly skewed to benefit the outgoing Mahayuti, among other issues. This verdict is an attack on democracy."

The frail yet resolute nonagenarian highlighted how the Mahayuti administration had "distributed cash" under the ‘Ladki Bahin’ initiative just before the elections, thereby jeopardizing the state’s fragile financial state, which Pawar acknowledged.

"The government aims for a democracy that grants it a monopoly without any opposition. Therefore, it is the obligation and duty of all citizens to resist this and take a strong stand," Dr. Baba Adhav urged.

During the meeting, Pawar reiterated that there was considerable misuse of government resources and a surge of financial influence during the state Assembly elections, and praised Dr. Baba Adhav for raising his voice against these issues.

Pawar remarked, "Significant doubts have arisen from the election results... Dr. Baba Adhav has undertaken this action in the interest of the populace, to protect democracy and uphold the Constitution, and we all stand with him."

The NCP (SP) leader pointed out that the voting statistics released by the ECI raise numerous questions, and the MVA has urged the national opposition INDIA bloc to address this concern, as some have expressed worries that an elderly figure like Dr. Baba Adhav is compelled to resort to a hunger strike to attract governmental attention.

Since November 23, the MVA and various political factions have criticized the ECI and Maharashtra State Election Commission (M-SEC) on multiple fronts following the shocking results that resulted in an unprecedented victory for the Mahayuti.

Among those vocal against the ECI are Nana F. Patole, M. Arif Naseem Khan, Ramesh Chennithala, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, Jayant R. Patil, Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Kishore Tiwari, Sushma Andhare, Ashok Dhawale, Raj Thackeray, Bachhu Kadu, Anjali Damania, among others.

To date, at least 22 defeated candidates from various MVA parties and smaller regional groups have filed complaints with the M-SEC, demanding a recount of the votes.

A small group of supporters from different social and rationalist organizations has been vigilantly monitoring Dr. Baba Adhav's health, with medical professionals regularly checking his vital signs.

Dr. Baba Adhav is expected to conclude his three-day protest around 5 PM today, and his hunger strike has captured public attention, inspiring similar protests with symbolic fasts to support him while expressing discontent towards the influence of money and the abuse of power during the Assembly elections.

The hunger strike initiated by Dr. Baba Adhav followed a letter sent by Congress chief Nana Patole to the M-SEC's Chief Electoral Officer, S. Chokalingam, on November 29, highlighting alleged election irregularities, which the latter has denied.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)