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BJP Rebukes Congress Over SIR Voter Notice Allegations
The Congress and the BJP are arguing about a voter-list checking exercise called the Special Intensive Revision.
The Congress says the exercise could disenfranchise Indians, meaning prevent some people from voting.
It also pointed to the name of late economist Bibek Debroy appearing in a notice list.
The Congress said more than 33.13 lakh notices were being issued in New Delhi.
The BJP rejected the criticism and said the Congress was looking for an excuse to hide Rahul Gandhi’s failures.
The BJP said notices were mainly sent because voter details did not match information from the 2002 voter-roll revision.
The BJP also said the Congress had previously claimed the exercise targeted opposition voters.
The two parties therefore disagree about whether the notices are a legitimate records check or a threat to voting rights.
The BJP accused the Congress of seeking a new alibi to conceal Rahul Gandhi’s alleged failures.
The Congress called the Special Intensive Revision exercise a “Method Of Disenfranchising Indians.”
Congress cited the appearance of late economist Bibek Debroy’s name in a list of voters receiving notices.
The Congress said more than 33.13 lakh notices were being issued in New Delhi over discrepancies in enumeration forms.
The BJP said most notices resulted from voter details not matching records from the 2002 Special Intensive Revision and demanded an apology.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress, with statements from Pradeep Bhandari and Jairam Ramesh.
- What
- The parties exchanged accusations over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and notices sent over voter-detail discrepancies.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- When
- Monday, September 21; the reports also refer to an earlier Congress allegation made that Monday.
- Why
- The dispute arose after the Congress criticized the voter-roll exercise and the issuance of notices, while the BJP defended it and demanded an apology.
Congress Criticism
BJP Defense
Effect of the voter-roll exercise
Congress Criticism
The Congress characterized the Special Intensive Revision as a method of disenfranchising Indians and raised concerns about notices sent over discrepancies.
BJP Defense
The BJP said the exercise was not an effort to remove opposition voters and that notices were largely linked to mismatches with 2002 voter records.
Political responsibility
Congress Criticism
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the process and used the phrase “Method Of Disenfranchising Indians” in a post referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initials.
BJP Defense
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said Rahul Gandhi and the Congress owed the country an apology and accused them of seeking a new alibi for Gandhi’s failures.
Key facts
- Exercise
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Congress description
- “Method Of Disenfranchising Indians”
- Notices cited by Congress
- More than 33.13 lakh in New Delhi
- Records used
- The last Special Intensive Revision, conducted in 2002
- BJP spokesperson
- Pradeep Bhandari
- Congress spokesperson
- Jairam Ramesh
- Example cited
- The name of late economist Bibek Debroy appeared in a list of voters receiving notices
Quotes
Pradeep Bhandari
BJP spokesperson
“Until yesterday, they claimed that the SIR was a way to remove opposition voters from the electoral rolls. Now they say BJP leaders are receiving notices and ask why the BJP is silent.”
theprint.in
“The truth is that the Congress keeps searching for a new alibi… to hide Rahul Gandhi’s failures.”
theprint.in
Sources
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