Congress targets BJP ahead of Bihar elections, calls SIR 'dirty trick'

Terming Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar as another "dirty trick" from the BJP toolkit, the Congress Working Committee said it is aimed at manipulating electoral rolls and retaining power

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday adopted two resolutions, describing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bihar as the “greatest threat” to Indian democracy.

 

Terming it another “dirty trick” from the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) toolkit in its Bihar resolution, the CWC said it is aimed at manipulating electoral rolls and retaining power. It added that the move seeks to disenfranchise the poor, workers, backward classes, and minorities – the very people determined to oust the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from Bihar.

 

The resolutions were passed at the CWC meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by senior leaders—including Rahul Gandhi, Ajay Maken, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot, and Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar—at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna.

 

While addressing a press conference in Patna, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that the countdown for the NDA government has begun, predicting that a Mahagathbandhan government would assume power in Bihar within two months, reported PTI.

 

Disenfranchisement would affect access to welfare schemes: CWC

 

The CWC further claimed that the SIR-led disenfranchisement would affect access to welfare schemes and constitutionally guaranteed reservations, warning: “When the vote of the people is stolen, their future, their dignity, and their constitutional entitlements are stolen along with it.”

 

Further, appealing to the citizens of Bihar, it added, “The Indian National Congress promises to continue the struggle, both inside Parliament and on the streets. This fight is for the protection of our fundamental constitutional rights, for reservations and social justice, and for ensuring fair delivery of welfare benefits to every citizen of Bihar as well as India,” it said.

 

Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to take place later this year. 

Vote chori exposed conspiracy: CWC

 

In its political resolution, the CWC claimed that 'Vote Chori (vote theft), recently exposed by Gandhi, has allegedly exposed the systematic and deliberate conspiracy used to manufacture an elected majority for the BJP. It further added, “a government built on stolen mandates and rigged voter lists has no moral or political legitimacy".

 

“‘Vote chori’ and irregularities in our electoral rolls have shaken public belief in the very foundations of our democracy. The CWC resolved to salute Rahul Gandhi for boldly exposing the shameless ‘vote chori’ and bravely fighting these brazen attempts to subvert democracy," the resolution said.

 

Adding to it, Ramesh said Gandhi would reveal more information on “vote chori” that would be comparable to “hydrogen bomb”, “mini hydrogen bomb”, and “plutonium bomb”.

 

Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of vote theft, citing data from the Karnataka assembly elections, claiming that the votes of Congress supporters were being systematically deleted.  (With PTI inputs.)