Congress Rally Against SIR: Massive Protest Over Electoral Roll 'Vote-Chori' Claims

A meeting of the PCC presidents, CLP leaders, general secretaries, in-charges, secretaries and senior leaders from twelve states, where the SIR process is underway, was held here today, which was presided over by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal were among those present.

Kharge later said that the Congress Party is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral rolls.

He said Election Commission's "conduct during the SIR process has been deeply disappointing".

"It must immediately demonstrate that it is not operating under the BJP's shadow and it remembers its Constitutional oath and allegiance to the people of India, not to any ruling party," Kharge said.

He said the Congress firmly believes that the BJP is attempting to weaponise the SIR process for vote-chori. "And if the EC chooses to look the other way, that failure is not just administrative - it becomes a complicity of silence", he remarked.

Kharge said that party workers and office-bearers at the block and district levels will remain relentlessly vigilant.

"We will expose every attempt, however subtle, to delete genuine voters or insert bogus ones", he warned, adding, "the Congress Party will not allow democratic safeguards to be eroded by partisan misuse of institutions".

Talking to reporters later, Venugopal alleged that the Election Commission is purposefully trying to delete the votes of some sections of society. "The design of the SIR is to delete targeted votes", he said, giving the example of Bihar.

He said the SIR would normally take six months to a year to complete but the "process is being rushed through within one month" and alleged that some BLOs in states like Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have committed suicide due to the work pressure.

Venugopal stated that in Kerala, the local body elections are going on, and first phase of polls will be taking place on December 9.

"Kerala Assembly passed a resolution to postpone the SIR exercise. Even the Kerala Chief Election Officer requested the CEC that this was not the right time to conduct SIR in the state. All political parties except the BJP demanded the same thing, but the Election Commission doesn't listen to anything. It is clear that they are working on behalf of the BJP and Narendra Modi. This is surprising," he said.

"Today, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi alerted the PCCs about this sinister attempt of the Election Commission. We are going to fight against these things. The motive of the Election Commission is to destroy democracy and opposition parties. In the first week of December, Congress will hold a massive rally on this issue (SIR) in Ramlila Maidan," he added.

Party leader Pawan Khera said during today's meeting, there was a unanimous voice "against the politicisation" of the ECI.

"What happened in Bihar is now being tried everywhere in India", he said, adding, "everyone in the meeting agreed that the SIR is for deleting votes, not for adding names."

- ANI