If they are talking about boycotting elections, they are conceding defeat: Ramdas Athawale on Tejashwi Yadav's warning

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): After the Leader of Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav threatened to boycott the upcoming Bihar polls over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that if the opposition is talking about boycotting elections, it means they are conceding defeat.
Speaking to ANI, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said, "If they are talking about boycotting elections, it means they are conceding defeat. The order issued by the Election Commission in Bihar, which requires a birth certificate, has led the opposition to approach the Supreme Court, and the outcome depends on the Court's judgment. The birth certificate condition applies to everyone, including those who receive votes. The opposition's allegation that voters are being troubled is incorrect. Whatever SC says will be applicable."
Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday warned of boycotting the upcoming Bihar elections in the wake of controversy over SIR.
Addressing media personnel, Tejashwi Yadav said, "When everything has been decided from before that the names of lakhs of people will be deleted from the voter's list, and when these same voters voted for PM Modi in the past and decided the fate of the government in the past, then it was all right. We are inquiring about the sudden need for SIR that has arisen now. It means that the people in power are acknowledging that they came to power through deception earlier, and now the same thing will be repeated. When they have decided to be dishonest, then we (all parties in the Mahagathbandhan) can discuss boycotting the elections. We have this option."
He further said that he would talk with all the parties of the Mahagathbandhan.
"What is the meaning of polls if people in a democracy do not vote. The option to boycott polls is available to us. The main game will be played by EC after August 1, when scrutiny will be done," he said.
He claimed that the state is being "remotely controlled" from New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah giving "orders" to carry out the voter roll revision.
Opposition leaders on Thursday held a protest in front of the Bihar Assembly over the issue of the SIR exercise being carried out by ECI ahead of the state elections, to be held later this year.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) MPs, for the fourth consecutive day, protested against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission (EC) in poll-bound Bihar. The MPs gathered at Parliament Makar Dwar and called for a stop to the exercise.
The opposition parties have repeatedly called for a discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha regarding the revision exercise, moving adjournment motions every day since the start of the monsoon session and alleging that manipulation of voter rolls is taking place under the guise of the SIR. (ANI)