The Election Commission on Friday suspended four officials in Assam after an Electronic Voting Machine used for the second phase of polling was found in a car belonging to a BJP leader. It also ordered repolling at the polling station in Ratabari constituency where the EVM had been used.
A video of the EVM being transported in a white jeep was tweeted by journalist Atanu Bhuyan and it went viral on Twitter last night. A man outside the video’s frame is heard saying that the car belongs to BJP legislator from Patharkandi, Krishnendu Paul.
The discovery of the EVM and election officials in Paul’s car sparked violence in the Barak Valley when some people pelted stones on it. A superintendent of police was injured in the clash and the police fired blank rounds to disperse the protesters.
This morning, the news agency ANI, routinely accused of batting for the BJP, reported, quoting unnamed “sources”, that the election officials had merely hitched a ride in the BJP leader’s vehicles after theirs had broken down, not knowing it belonged to a politician.
Subsequently, the agency reported, again citing unnamed sources, that a complaint had been lodged against “unknown persons” for attacking the private vehicle carrying the EVM.
This drew accusations from journalists and other Twitter users that ANI was “covering up” for the BJP by reporting the incident akin to a “movie script” supplied by unnamed sources.
ANI had reported a great source based script where the BJP candidate was the messiah and those asking questions on how the EVM landed in his car were the real villains. Guess sources also figured out it was a bit too much this time. https://t.co/MlCfdMIc40
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) April 2, 2021
ANI should hire @neeleshmisra to read out its sources-based reports.
— Abhishek Baxi (@baxiabhishek) April 2, 2021
At least, they'd sound like good stories.
Also filing an addendum to my EC representation demanding action against @ANI for the false “EC officials took a lift” cover-up that they tried to do on behalf of the BJP.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) April 2, 2021
ANI must be made to answer for being a BJP mouthpiece & covering up this shocking incident.
Several news channels and anchors are NOW quoting EC official sources.
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 2, 2021
But how many channels and news agencies actually reported the incident when EVM was caught in BJP candidates car yesterday?
Waiting for Smita ji and ANI to quote official EC sources and come up with an explanation for EVM machine found in BJP candidates car in Assam..
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 2, 2021
ANI later tweeted the Election Commission’s “factual” report of what had transpired on Thursday night. The report claimed the polling officials had found out about the vehicle’s ownership only when the local residents stopped it and informed them about it.
ANI editor Smita Prakash took exception to the criticism received by the news agency over its tweets.
"Trolls look for reasons to hate but really what they are mad at is the fact they are not included in anything ever."
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) April 2, 2021
Yes for you, loser journo turned troll.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
