Mumbai, July 3 Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday reacted to the possibility of the Azad Samaj Party-Kanshi Ram (ASP) of Chandrashekhar Azad and the AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi coming together for the Bihar polls, saying that the public should evaluate for themselves what benefit or loss they may incur by voting for them.
Speaking to IANS, Sanjay Nirupam said: "All political parties are free to contest elections. But the people of Bihar must evaluate for themselves what benefit or loss such leaders bring — especially those who appear only at election time."
On the government’s recent move to lift the ban on social media accounts of Pakistani artistes — originally blocked after the Pahalgam terror attack under ‘Operation Sindoor’, Nirupam expressed serious concern.
"After the Pahalgam attack, the government rightly blocked anti-India accounts that spread propaganda. But now, those same accounts are visible again, which is worrying. Such Pakistanis who spew venom against India must be blocked again. The government must take immediate action," he added.
Several Pakistani actors like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Saba Qamar, and Mawra Hocane's Instagram profiles were visible in India on Wednesday, which caused a stir online. However, now, a day after or within 23 hours to be specific, these accounts have been banned again in India.
Responding to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's recent statement suggesting a secret "husband-wife" alliance between the BJP and the Congress, Nirupam dismissed it as absurd.
"Kejriwal, who suffered a massive loss in Delhi, is now speaking like someone whose luck has changed overnight. Only a foolish person would believe that the BJP and the Congress can come together," he said.
"Congress's failed policies have always been opposed by the BJP. The idea of any alliance between the two is not just ridiculous, it’s delusional."
Nirupam further condemned Owaisi's controversial remarks regarding shop licensing during the Kanwar Yatra, in which Owaisi questioned whether authorities would next ask people to "take off their pants".
"The Kanwar Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage for Shiva devotees. Calling it hooliganism is deeply disrespectful," Nirupam said.
"Just as we respect Muslim religious sentiments, Hindu sentiments must also be respected. The tradition of the Kanwar Yatra emphasises purity and devotion, and such comments are unacceptable."
Taking aim at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for questioning the voter list revision in Bihar — after raising similar concerns in Maharashtra — Nirupam accused them of undermining democratic institutions.
“The people’s verdict in Maharashtra, where Congress and Sharad Pawar were defeated, must be respected. Instead of introspection, Congress is making baseless allegations about EVMs and voter lists,” he said.
“The Election Commission’s process is transparent. All parties are given a fair chance. Making premature accusations is childish and irresponsible. They lost in Maharashtra, now they are seeing defeat (in Bihar), that's why they are saying all this," he said.
This comes after a delegation of opposition parties lodged a strong protest against the Election Commission's decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections.
The Opposition, represented by an 18-member INDIA bloc delegation comprising 11 parties, including the Congress, the RJD, the CPI, CPI(M-L), and the Samajwadi Party, met ECI officials at Nirvachan Sadan on Wednesday.
They alleged that the EC's move was both sudden and ill-timed, potentially impacting marginalised groups and compromising the fairness of the polls.
Rahul Gandhi, intensifying the opposition's stance, also demanded the publication of consolidated, machine-readable digital electoral rolls and CCTV footage from polling booths in Maharashtra, citing transparency concerns.
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