Tejashwi Yadav warns of boycotting upcoming Bihar elections over SIR row

Patna (Bihar) [India], July 24 (ANI): Amid the row over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission of India (EC) in Bihar, Leader of Opposition in the state Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday warned of boycotting the upcoming Bihar elections if it is not rolled back.
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 government in the past, then it was all right. We are asking that now how suddenly the need for SIR arose. It means the people in power are themselves saying that earlier they came to power through deception, and now again the same thing would be repeated. When they have decided to be dishonest then we (all parties in Mahagathbandhan) could talk about 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 with 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 "remote controlled" from New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah giving "orders" 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 everyday since the start of the monsoon session and alleging that manipulation of voter rolls is taking place under the guise of the SIR.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji, Deputy Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJ) MP Manoj Jha, among multiple other leaders attended the protest.
Carrying banner which read "SIR-Attack on Democracy," the MPs stood at Makar Dwar, demanding that the voter list revision is halted.
Earlier, Congress MP Manickam Tagore submitted an Adjournment Motion seeking discussion on the revision exercise, calling it an "act of mass disenfranchisement" which was nothing short of "institutional voter cleansing" orchestrated under the Modi Government.
Tagore further highlighted the SIR exercise as an attack on the legacy of Babasaheb BR Ambedkar, who "enshrined" universal adult franchise in the Constitution to empower citizens, irrespective of their caste, class or wealth.
Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date. (ANI)