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BJP leader Anil Vij on Sunday defended the Election Commission of India's decision to postpone the Haryana Assembly polls date from October 1 to October 5. He said that the dates have been revised in the interest of people.
Vij slammed the Congress for criticising the EC's move, saying that it is the reflection of their running away from the election. "This reflects the commitment of the BJP to democracy in India and providing opportunities for people to vote in large numbers. On the part of Congress, it reflects that they are running away," Vij told ANI. "If you (Congress) do not like this process, sit at home and don't cast your vote. Let those who like the process, vote...What rigging it is if dates have been revised? The dates have been revised in the interest of people," he added. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday revised the polling day for Haryana Assembly polls from October 1 to October 5, as well as moved the counting of votes for both Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies from October 4 to October 8. Meanwhile, former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Saturday that the move reflects the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) acknowledgement of an impending electoral loss. "It is the Election Commission's right, they have extended the date. They (BJP) have already accepted defeat in Haryana. When the Haryana government wrote a letter to the Election Commission, I had said at that time that the BJP had accepted defeat," Hooda said. The EC said that the decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar as per the ECI. The Commission said it had received representation from the National President, All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner (Rajasthan) for rescheduling the date of polling set for October 1. As per the representation for generations, numerous families in Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana have observed a long-standing tradition of visiting their native village Mukam, in Rajasthan during the Amavas in the month of "Asoj" for their annual festival in Bikaner district, in the memory of their Guru Jambheshwar. This year, the festival will take place on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar would be travelling to Rajasthan on poll day, denying them their voting rights, the Election Commission of India said. (ANI)
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