Shiv Senas Sanjay Nirupam Challenges Congress Over Vote Theft Allegations
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam questions Congresss claims of vote theft, addressing issues of dead voters and illegal immigrants in electoral rolls.
Mumbai, September 28 (Daily Kiran) : In Mumbai, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam has responded forcefully to Congress’s accusations of “vote theft” related to the Election Commission‘s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He criticized a recent Congress Working Committee meeting as mere theatrics, questioning why only 33,000 out of 67 lakh voters in Bihar filed claims during the revision. He also highlighted the removal of 40 lakh illegal Bangladeshi voters from West Bengal’s rolls, asking if these individuals were part of Congress’s voter base.
Nirupam emphasized that the SIR process, overseen by the Supreme Court, is a legitimate effort to cleanse electoral rolls across the nation. This initiative aims to remove names of deceased voters, those who have moved, and individuals registered multiple times. He expressed concern that Congress has labeled this necessary process as “vote theft.”
He posed pointed questions to the Congress Working Committee, asking if the deceased voters were theirs and if the removal of illegal Bangladeshi voters constituted theft. Nirupam pointed out that out of the 67 lakh voters removed in Bihar, only 33,000 had claimed their eligibility. He suggested this indicates that many of these voters were not legitimate.
BJP Rajya Sabha member Naveen Jain also weighed in, questioning Congress’s trust in the electoral process and institutions like the Election Commission. He remarked on the party’s contradictory stance regarding the integrity of voting machines and legal frameworks.
Congress MP Imran Masood asserted that their opposition is directed at the Election Commission, claiming collusion and a threat to democracy. Maharashtra’s Youth Congress president, Shivraj More, accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining democracy and facilitating electoral fraud, while expressing concerns about youth unemployment.
Prakash Ambedkar, president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, defended the SIR process as a lawful procedure mandated by Parliament, criticizing the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law.
The ongoing debate underscores the tensions between political parties in India as they navigate the complexities of electoral integrity ahead of upcoming elections.
