CPI(ML) Joins the Blame-Game at Voter Adhikar Yatra

CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of executing a "surgical strike" through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging it is a deliberate attempt to sabotage Bihar’s upcoming assembly elections by disenfranchising voters. Speaking at a press conference during the Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, alongside Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba, Bhattacharya described the SIR as a "conspiracy of vote chori" that has sparked widespread outrage across Bihar.

Bhattacharya claimed the ECI removed 65 lakh names from the voter list, including those of living individuals falsely marked as deceased and migrant laborers, under the guise of eliminating infiltrators. “Not a single infiltrator is on that list,” he asserted, alleging the deletions target marginalized groups like Dalits and Adivasis to undermine the opposition’s push for change. He highlighted the dire state of Bihar under the BJP-JDU government, citing a recent Patna hospital shooting as evidence of “criminal rule” and rampant unemployment, poverty, and migration.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra began on August 17 from Sasaram and reached Nawada from Wazirganj, Gaya, on Tuesday. Modeled on Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, it combines foot marches and vehicle travel, culminating in a Patna rally on September 1. Bhattacharya linked it to last year’s Nawada-to-Patna padyatra, which exposed Dalit oppression, including a 2024 arson attack on a Nawada Dalit colony and violent reprisals against Musahar workers in Gaya for demanding wages.

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Alka Lamba accused the ECI of panicking as the yatra gained traction, claiming the BJP prompted a defensive press conference by the Chief Election Commissioner. “Rahul Gandhi will not be intimidated,” she declared, echoing the slogan “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhorh” (stop vote theft). She demanded the ECI release a machine-readable voter list and polling booth CCTV footage, alleging the commission’s refusal betrays its fear of transparency. The yatra, backed by INDIA bloc leaders like Tejashwi Yadav, aims to protect the democratic right to vote.

The SIR, launched on June 24, 2025, has faced criticism for potentially removing over two crore voters, with a Supreme Court petition challenging its legality pending. As the yatra advances through Nalanda, Bhagalpur, and other districts, it seeks to galvanize public support against what the opposition calls an assault on Bihar’s electoral integrity, framing the elections as a battle for systemic change.

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