BJP backs Amit Shah on ‘press EVM with anger’ remark

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Prashant Kishor

New Delhi,  Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remark saying “press the EVM (electronic voting machine) button with anger”, BJP-ally Janata Dal United’s (JD-U) Prashant Kishor on Monday said that the EVM buttons would be pressed with “love”.

Commenting on the matter, the BJP said they would prefer not to comment any further on Kishor.

Taking an apparent dig at Shah, Kishor said in a tweet: “EVM buttons will be pressed with just love in Delhi on February 8. It should be a mild current, though, so brotherhood and friendship is not endangered.”

Earlier, making a case for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and against the Shaheen Bagh protesters who are protesting against the legislation, Shah said: “When you press the button (on the voting machine) on February 8, do so with such anger that its current is felt at Shaheen Bagh.”

Asked on this war of words between the two, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra refused to comment on Kishor, while backing Shah on what he had said.

“What wrong did Shah say? He was right in saying that electorates should press the EVM button so hard, that shock waves are felt at Shaheen Bagh.”

The Shaheen Bagh protest has emerged as the main electoral issue during this last leg of the Delhi election campaigning, with the BJP asking the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to make its stand clear on the issue.