Jairam Ramesh and Asaduddin Owaisi Blast EC for ‘Backdoor NRC’ Ahead of Bihar Polls
Congress and AIMIM leaders accuse the Election Commission of undermining voters’ rights with a controversial electoral roll revision in Bihar.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi fiercely criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, accusing it of conducting a “backdoor National Register of Citizens (NRC)” through its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The leaders claimed the ECI’s move to verify citizenship violates voters’ constitutional rights and creates an atmosphere of fear in Bihar.
Ramesh questioned the timing of the SIR, noting it was being conducted four to five months before the polls. “The constitutional rights of voters are being snatched... It’s not the ECI’s responsibility to prove citizenship,” he told ANI, highlighting that the issue is under Supreme Court scrutiny. He expressed concerns over the fear gripping Bihar due to the exercise.
Owaisi echoed Ramesh’s sentiments, questioning the ECI’s authority to determine citizenship. “Who gave the ECI the power to decide whether someone is a citizen? SIR is NRC through the back door,” he told ANI on July 15. He demanded transparency on the outcomes of the last SIR in Bihar in 2003, challenging claims about foreign nationals. Owaisi also tasked AIMIM members with investigating Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the process.
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In a sharp rebuke, Owaisi ruled out joining the INDIA bloc, accusing it of suppressing emerging leaders and marginalizing the poor. “One-sided love won’t happen... They want you to remain their slaves, walking behind them with your head bowed,” he said, alleging the alliance’s accusations against AIMIM were baseless and aimed at stifling leadership from oppressed communities.
The controversy surrounding the ECI’s actions has intensified as Bihar gears up for its assembly elections, with both leaders demanding clarity and fairness in the electoral process.
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