“The bedrock of a democracy is free and fair elections,” read the press invitation from the Indian Journalists’ Association (IJA) in the UK, as they invited local and national media for a presentation by mystery man Syed Shuja, and question & answer session with a cyber expert on January 21. The mail read the “expert” will demonstrate on record how sabotage of elections through cyber attacks is possible and how this is being done.
Held at The Clubhouse in London, the event saw Syed Shuja address reporters and enthusiasts on the vulnerability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) over Skype. Organised by the IJA along with the Foreign Press Association (FPA) in London, the hour-long live video conference saw Shuja, a self-claimed expert who is currently on political asylum in the United States, make several 'wild' claims. Without any practical demonstration on how the voting machines could be hacked, he explained that they can be done through its chip-set by using graphite-based transmitter.
In a series of startling and 'bizarre' revelations, he also claimed that the 2014 general election was rigged, as were the recent assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Shuja claimed that senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde was aware of EVM rigging and was on the verge of exposing his party. When asked about evidence, he said, “No corroborative evidence.” He also claimed that the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh was caused by this EVM rigging, as she was days away from publishing Shuja's story.
The 'mystery' expert, who appeared on Skype with a bandage on his head, in a dimly lit room, apparently worked for the Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), the company that made the EVMs for India from 2009 to 2014. After the previous General Elections, ECIL directed his team to uncover if the machines could be hacked in any way. According to Shuja, they tried to use the information to their advantage and claimed that at a meeting in Kaki Reddy’s guest house outside Hyderabad, who is the brother-in-law of MLA Kishan Reddy, the whole of his ECIL team were shot at. While he survived, the dead bodies of his colleagues were counted among the demised in a communal violence incident that was allegedly arranged soon after. He claimed he was attacked in the US a few days ago, which is why he could not be present in person to address the London conference. He submitted a couple of documents citing the names of people who were killed and claimed over 11 people were gunned down in Hyderabad on May 13, 2014.
Shuja so far has failed to properly substantiate any of his allegations and the Election Commission of India(ECI) has asserted that it firmly stands by the 'fool proof nature' of its machines and is examining as to what legal action "can and should" be taken in the matter. It has written to the Delhi Police requesting them to lodge an FIR and investigate the statement made by Syed Shuja. The ECIL, who made the EVMs has said that Syed Shuja was never an employee of the corporation in a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
As the controversy spread like wild fire, FPA in a tweet said, “The Foreign Press Association strongly disassociates itself with any claims made by the speaker Syed Shuja during the #IJA event in London yesterday. Not one of the masked speaker’s accusations have so far been corroborated.”
Kapil Sibal who was present at the press conference did not participate in the conference and reiterated that he was there in his 'personal capacity' and not as a member of the Congress party.
IJA President Ashis Ray in a statement said, “Both IJA and FPA organised the press meet - as we routinely do - in good faith.
“Admittedly, the accusations made by Ahmed [Syed Shuja] were very serious; which he could not substantiate. He left a room full of scribes highly sceptical, if not annoyed. However, the documents provided after the conclusion of the media conference appear to establish that he has indeed been granted asylum in the US. If this was the case, what was the basis of this decision? The answer obviously lies with Washington.
“The picture he painted in what allegedly occurred in Hyderabad in May 2014 was clearly chilling. A proper inquiry would perhaps unearth if his charges are true or false. On the face of it, Ahmed’s [Syed Shuja’s] utterances via Skype left most journalists, who listened to and questioned him, unconvinced. People are unlikely to believe him until and unless he decisively demonstrates – which he had promised to do – that EVMs are not infallible.
“The Election Commission of India has filed a complaint against him to the Delhi police. The BJP has condemned his claims.
“Since IJA had nothing to hide and we particularly wished to be open and transparent in this instance, we invited the ECI and all Indian political [parties] recognised by the ECI as national parties to attend the meet. None did other than Kapil Sibal of the Congress Party.
“Since invitations were sent to the concerned party presidents, I surmised Mr Sibal had been sent as an observer to the press conference. He sat in one of the back rows of the room; and did not participate in the proceedings in any way.
“I have now seen a statement from a Congress party spokesman, which says he attended the event in his personal capacity. I have also been told he had other matters to attend to in London; and the press conference was not the reason for his presence in the British capital...”
Following the controversy, FPA has "disassociated" itself from the event.
