JU(U) leader terms it ‘political theatrics’ and claims SIR is a routine protocol, not a conspiracy
NEW DELHI – Former Congress president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will reach Patna on Wednesday to add strength to the Bihar bandh called by the INDIA bloc against the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
According to party sources, Rahul is scheduled to lead the party’s state unit foot march in protest against the poll panel’s move. He is also expected to meet the family of slain BJP leader and prominent businessman Gopal Khemka, who was shot dead on June 4.
Leaders from the INDIA bloc, including the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Left parties, have given a call for state-wide bandh on July 9, alleging the EC’s SIR “diktat” which demands stringent documentation requirements and a tight July 25 deadline, risking the disenfranchisement of millions, particularly marginalised communities like Muslims, Dalits and migrant workers.
JD-U’s National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, however, has dismissed these concerns of the Opposition parties and termed the protests as ‘political theatrics’ and stated that the SIR is a routine protocol, not a conspiracy.
“By the time Rahul Gandhi arrives, nearly half of Bihar’s forms would already have been submitted to the Election Commission. This exercise happened in 2003 as well. So far, 36 per cent of Bihar’s voter forms have been collected,” Ranjan Prasad told IANS.
Prasad further defended the integrity of the process, contrasting it with previous Congress governments.
“The country has seen how, during the Congress era, Election Commission officials were appointed at the whims of party leaders,” he claimed.
The SIR, initiated on June 24, faces significant challenges due to strict verification norms and the state’s 7.89 crore voter base. It requires proofs of birth and residency, particularly from 2.93 crore voters not on the 2003 rolls. The process is hindered by low literacy, limited document availability, and the exclusion of common IDs like Aadhaar. Rural voters, migrants, and marginalised groups struggle with complex forms and tight deadlines, risking disenfranchisement. – With inputs from IANS
