New Delhi, Oct 17 As Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the government’s efforts to "clean up" the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the BJP and JD(U) on Friday said he had raised a very fundamental issue. They further asserted that there is consensus on this matter across all political parties.
This comes after Amit Shah, in an interview with a news channel, emphasised that the SIR aims to remove ineligible voters, including infiltrators, deceased individuals, and those who have migrated.
Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said, “Home Minister Amit Shah has raised a very fundamental question. Who can deny that voter lists include names of those who have passed away, those who have relocated, duplicate entries, or individuals residing illegally in India? While he presents his own political perspective, this issue should not be seen as the agenda of any one individual or party. It is clearly a national concern.”
BJP leader Tarun Chugh added, “SIR is like a life-reviving herb for democracy, as it removes the names of the deceased. It’s very beneficial for democracy. The West Bengal government, which operates on the ideology of the Muslim League, appears desperate to protect these infiltrators. This is shameless and condemnable.”
JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar echoed the sentiment, saying, “There is consensus on this issue across all political parties. As far as I remember, in 1991 or 1992, a meeting of North Indian states was held in Delhi, when Lalu Yadav Ji was Chief Minister. It was decided that infiltrators should not be allowed to enter the country. Lalu Ji himself expressed concern over the situation.”
However, Congress leaders had a different take on the matter, raising concerns about internal political dynamics.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore said, “Nitish Kumar is about to face betrayal. Amit Shah has sidelined Nitish’s supporters and completely ignored them. The situation is beginning to resemble what happened with Eknath Shinde. Nitish Kumar could become the Eknath Shinde of Bihar.”
Congress MP Imran Masood added, “You say you’ll identify infiltrators now, but what were you doing for the past 10 years? Every time an election approaches, infiltrators become an issue. You don’t even have a clear list. If infiltrators are entering, it only proves that border security under your watch has failed.”
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