10 SIRs Under Congress: Sambit Patra Slams Opposition Over Voter List Row
BJP MP Sambit Patra hits back at Opposition claims, stating 10 Special Intensive Revisions occurred under Congress governments.
BJP MP Sambit Patra has come out in strong defense of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, dismissing allegations from the Opposition that the exercise is a tool for voter deletion. Speaking at a press conference in Varanasi, Patra asserted that the process is a standard democratic procedure aimed at maintaining the integrity and accuracy of voter lists.
A Legacy of Revisions: BJP vs Congress
Addressing the controversy surrounding the SIR exercise scheduled to begin in 2025, Patra clarified that this is not a new initiative introduced by the Narendra Modi-led government. He revealed that the upcoming exercise marks the 12th such revision in the country's history.
Breaking down the numbers, Patra pointed out a significant disparity in the claims made by the Opposition:
- Congress Era: 10 Special Intensive Revisions were conducted.
- Current Government: 2 Special Intensive Revisions have been conducted.
Patra argued that if the process was acceptable during the tenure of the Congress government, it is illogical to label it as wrong when conducted by the current administration as part of an electoral roll purification process.
The Purpose of the SIR Process
Explaining the necessity of the exercise from the spiritual land of Kashi, the BJP leader emphasized that in a democracy, the electoral roll is the definitive document that determines voter eligibility. He stated that the SIR is essential to ensure that the lists remain "pure" by adding eligible new voters and removing those who no longer qualify, thereby ensuring the overall accuracy of the system.
Hitting Back at Rahul Gandhi
The BJP MP also took a sharp swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had previously alleged that 13 crore votes had been "stolen." Patra questioned the feasibility of such a massive theft, asking what the state of the country would be if such a claim were true.
"If 13 crore votes had truly been stolen, what would India look like today? The streets of India would be packed with people, and mass protests would be erupting everywhere," Patra remarked.
Context of the Clash
This verbal offensive follows a massive rally organized by the INDIA bloc at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday. The rally, which saw the participation of heavyweights like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, and Akhilesh Yadav, was held to protest alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls and the upcoming SIR exercise.