Kharge alleges opposition voters removed from electoral rolls under SIR

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday (August 15) alleged that under the guise of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission (EC), opposition voters were being openly removed from the electoral rolls.

Kharge, in his Independence Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Congress headquarters at Akbar Road, further alleged that voters who are alive were being declared dead.

Questions EC’s neutrality

He also questioned the neutrality of the poll panel by saying that they were not willing to share the list of voters who were removed from the electoral rolls and on what basis.

“Under the guise of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), opposition voters are being openly removed from the rolls. Those who are alive are being declared dead. The impartiality of the Central Election Commission can be gauged from the fact that they were not willing to disclose who was removed from the voter lists and on what basis,” said Kharge.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi, Kharge skip Red Fort Independence Day event, BJP reacts

SIR dig at BJP

Taking a swipe at the BJP over the SIR issue, the Congress chief said that it was surprising that the ruling party at the Centre did not object to the removal of 65 lakh voters from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar published by the EC. He also thanked the Supreme Court for instructing the EC to make the list of 65 lakh deleted voters public.

“This clearly shows who was intended to benefit from this exercise. Friends, Rahul ji has proven with data how irregularities were committed to win a Lok Sabha seat,” he added.

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‘BJP can stoop to any level’

Kharge further alleged that the ruling party was now ready to stoop to any level of immorality to stay in power, adding that large-scale irregularities in elections are coming to light.

He further alleged that central agencies like ED and CBI, and the Income Tax department were being used "so openly for political purposes against the opponents that the Supreme Court of the country has to show them the mirror".

The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha claimed that India has lost the special place it earned due to its 'non-alignment policy'. "The dream that the heroes of independence saw for this country is going away from us today," he said.

Also Read: From pandemic recovery to security onslaught: Comparing Modi’s I-day speeches last 5 years

Jairam slams PM over mentioning RSS

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the “most alarming aspect” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech was mentioning the RSS from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Describing it as “a blatant violation of the spirit of a constitutional, secular republic” Ramesh stated that it was nothing but a desperate attempt to please the organization ahead of its 75th anniversary next month.

“Decisively weakened since the events of June 4, 2024, the Prime Minister is now entirely dependent on Mohan Bhagwat’s favor to extend his tenure beyond September. The politicization of a national occasion like Independence Day for personal and organizational gain is deeply harmful to our democratic values,” stated Ramesh in a post on X.