“It is important that the election data is stored and remains safe. Only then can action be taken if there is any complaint ever. I feel that the Election Commission is taking such a decision under pressure from the BJP,” Yadav said.

Citing fears that its electronic data will be used to create “malicious narratives”, the Election Commission had instructed its poll officers in the state to destroy CCTV camera, webcasting and video footage of the election process after 45 days, if the results are not challenged in courts within that period.

While demands were raised to make the webcasting footage of polling stations public, the Election Commission officials said that it would violate the privacy and security concerns of the voters.

They said that while such demands may sound quite genuine and suit the narrative that it is in the interest of voters and to safeguard the democratic process, it is, in fact, counterproductive.

In an apparent reference to Kundarki bypolls, Yadav claimed that the CCTV footage will show policemen coming out after voting.

“They say privacy is being violated. This is not about privacy. This is a mafia act by the police to loot votes. It should be exposed. We will tell the Election Commission that our privacy will not be violated by this. If they want affidavits from the voters, then we will request the voters to submit them. Whatever is captured in the CCTV cameras of Kundarki should be telecast on the TV channels to show who have cast the vote. If you watch these videos, you will see senior police personnel casting votes in civil dress,” Yadav claimed.

He said powerful countries like America are conducting voting through ballots. On Indians stranded abroad, the SP chief said, “Some people from Uttar Pradesh have gone on a tour. I spoke to them. They said 2,500-3,000 people are stranded, and India is not helping. Flights are returning empty, but there is no one to bring them back. Since June 19, none from this group could return. They demand that the government and the opposition should look into their issue.” “I appeal to the government to arrange special flights and resort to special diplomatic methods to bring back Indian nationals stranded in other countries. If the Indian government is unable to do so, then it should stop pretending to be a ‘vishwaguru’ (world leader),” Yadav said.

The Samajwadi Party chief also claimed that the BJP government has created the most unsafe environment for women in the state.

“The government claims it has zero-tolerance policy towards law and order violations. But when the BJP government gets the police to do political work, files false cases against people and suppresses political personalities, when the police work to win elections and get political work done from them, then we cannot expect law and order from them. The BJP wants to take political advantage by using the police administration, not by providing justice,” he said.

Yadav said the women have distanced themselves from the saffron party.

He said some of the good schemes introduced by the Samajwadi Party government are being distorted and run differently for the political gain of the current government.

“The Samajwadi Party government had been working to help poor women in Uttar Pradesh by implementing the Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana. The Samajwadi Pension scheme was implemented by the BJP and other parties when they formed the government in other states. Now those schemes are being cut down. The Samajwadi Party government had been giving Rs 500 to poor women through the Samajwadi Pension scheme. When we come to power again, we will give Rs 3,000 to poor women,” he said. PTI NAV RUK RUK