TMC's Derek O'Brien Urges SIR Withdrawal in Bihar
Derek O'Brien lists 79 reform suggestions
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien marked India’s 79th Independence Day by presenting 79 suggestions to the Union government, prominently calling for the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. In an article and a post on X, O'Brien criticized the SIR, which has sparked controversy for allegedly disenfranchising voters, as seen in cases like Mintu Paswan, who was erroneously declared dead. “As we celebrate Independence Day, the government must withdraw the SIR exercise in Bihar,” he urged, citing its flawed execution, with booth-level officers failing to verify voter status adequately.
O'Brien’s recommendations spanned unemployment, federalism, health, education, gender, economy, infrastructure, and law. He made three direct appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi: answer a question in Parliament, hold a press conference, and visit Manipur to address ongoing unrest. On federalism, he demanded full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, resolution of Manipur’s conflict, and release of pending MGNREGS and PMAY-G funds for West Bengal, which remain stalled at ₹10,000 crore and ₹7,000 crore, respectively, as of July 2025.
He labeled demonetization a failure, called for scrapping the Agnipath scheme, and urged halting the misuse of the Enforcement Directorate as a political tool. O'Brien proposed increasing wages for MGNREGS and ASHA workers, currently at ₹250 and ₹4,500 per month in some states, to reflect rising living costs. For parliamentary reform, he suggested a fixed calendar with at least 100 sitting days annually, more time for opposition voices, and ending the “bulldozing” of bills and MP suspensions, noting 146 MPs were suspended in 2023-24 sessions.
Also Read: Stalin Advocates Legal Action to Restore States’ Powers
O'Brien targeted “bad laws,” advocating the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act, UAPA, sedition laws, and the Waqf Amendment Act, alongside criminalizing marital rape. He emphasized economic reforms, including reducing unemployment (7.8% nationally in June 2025), boosting female workforce participation (37% in 2024), and enhancing skill training. He also called for removing the 18% GST on health and life insurance, increasing public healthcare spending to 2.5% of GDP, reinstating minority scholarships, reducing student suicides (12,503 cases in 2023), strengthening laws against crimes on women, and legalizing same-sex marriage.
The SIR in Bihar, initiated in June 2025 ahead of assembly polls, has drawn criticism for errors, with 21 voters, including Paswan, wrongfully declared dead, prompting Supreme Court scrutiny. O'Brien’s suggestions reflect TMC’s broader push for equitable governance and federal fairness, aligning with opposition concerns about democratic erosion.
