The political uproar surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar has now reached Bengal. While opposition parties have raised questions about this process in Bihar, in West Bengal, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has bly supported the move. Adhikari stated that it is a transparency-enhancing initiative by the Election Commission, which should be immediately implemented in states like West Bengal as well.
Suvendu Adhikari's attack on fake voters in Bengal
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has claimed that a large number of illegal immigrants and Rohingya have successfully added their names to the Bengal voter list through fake documents. He alleged that these individuals are voting by becoming Indian citizens through fake Aadhaar cards and birth certificates, thereby endangering the democratic system.
Suvendu demanded that the Election Commission also conduct a special intensive revision campaign in Bengal, similar to Bihar, to identify fake voters and remove their names from the voter list. He clearly stated, "Only the names of Indian citizens should be in the voter list of India, so that the purity of the electoral process is maintained." Following Adhikari's statement, the political climate in Bengal has intensified, and all eyes are now on the Election Commission's next decision.
Opposition uproar over SIR process in Bihar
Before the assembly elections to be held at the end of the year in Bihar, the Election Commission has started a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state. Under this process, the commission aims to remove fake and ineligible names and include all eligible citizens in the list, giving them the right to vote. The commission says that this step has been taken to make the elections more transparent, fair, and reliable.
However, the parties of the INDIA alliance have bly objected to this campaign. Opposition parties allege that the poor, Dalits, and marginalized sections are being excluded from voting in the name of SIR. They are calling it an attack on the right to vote of the people. However, the Election Commission has clarified that this process is not limited to Bihar only, but will also be implemented in states like Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, where assembly elections are proposed next year.
Emphasis on the sanctity and transparency of democracy
While the opposition is calling it an attempt to influence public opinion, BJP and leaders like Suvendu Adhikari consider it a means to purify and make democracy transparent. According to Adhikari, the presence of fake names in the voter list weakens the electoral process, and that is why a process like SIR is necessary.
The question now is when the Election Commission will start this process in West Bengal and whether it will be carried forward despite the opposition's protest. For now, this issue has already heated up the electoral atmosphere in both Bengal and Bihar.
