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AAP-leader claims BJP is hacking EVMs by sharing misleading video

AAP-leader claims BJP is hacking EVMs by sharing misleading video

By Shalini Ojha
May 22, 2019
05:16 pm
What's the story

What do you do if you think you are losing elections? If you are a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), you share a video of an actor masquerading as a journalist to claim BJP is hacking EVMs. AAP leader Savita Anand did the same by tweeting a video of a "foreign news anchor" to question Election Commission. Soon, her lie was busted.

What happened

Context: After exit polls, Opposition leaders cried conspiracy

If you have no idea about what is the entire furor over EVMs, allow us to explain. Several Opposition parties, including AAP, have been claiming that BJP is rigging polls by hacking EVMs. The allegations surfaced after Sunday's exit polls gave a clear majority to BJP-led NDA. Most pollsters claimed NDA will win between 282 to 365 seats on May 23.

VIdeo

Savita shared a video of 'foreign journalist' speaking about EVMs

While allegations didn't stop, Savita took them a step further. She tweeted a video claiming "foreign media" was speaking about EVM hacking. The anchor of TNN "news channel" explained how BJP is planning to win elections, the states where EVM rigging is taking place etc. The 2:15 minutes video was widely shared on social media.

Twitter Post

You can watch the video here

Reality

The journalist is actually an actor

Soon, Twitter user Arun Pudur busted Savita's claims. He tweeted that the woman, who was passed off as a journalist, is actually a Romanian model. She can be hired as a freelancer from Fiverr. Pudur tweeted, "So you hired a $5 actor from @fiverr and made her do a video?" Notably, Savita hasn't said anything about Pudur's tweet.

Twitter Post

The actor also has a dummy company in UK: Pudur

Transport

Separately, videos showed EVMs were being transported without security

On a related note, several video clips emerged on social media, purportedly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, which showed EVMs being transported in absence of security. In Chandauli Parliamentary seat, supporters of Samajwadi Party shot a video of EVMs being taken to a counting center without surveillance. Speaking on the incident, officials said that EVMs reached the counting center late because of "logistics" problems.

Twitter Post

Here is the video of the incident

Details

Meanwhile, RJD claimed it 'seized' EVMs

Similarly, BSP candidate from Ghazipur Afzal Ansari held a sit-in protest outside a storage room claiming that EVMs are being tampered with. Police and district officials tried to placate Ansari but he didn't listen. In Bihar, RJD tweeted photos claiming that a truckload of EVMs was "seized" by party workers in Maharajganj Lok Sabha area. RJD claimed the machines were moving without security.

Twitter Post

What is the administration doing?: RJD

Reaction

Facing heat, EC called claims 'baseless'

As Opposition parties slammed Election Commission for favoring BJP, the watchdog rubbished all claims. Reacting on the videos, Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh tweeted, "Polled EVMs are safe in sealed strong rooms under security, CCTV coverage, and surveillance of candidates. There is no possibility of changing EVMs. Don't panic and keep faith." A high-ranking official in Ghazipur also called the apprehensions "baseless".