Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM and BJP sparred in the Telangana Assembly on Tuesday, January 6, over the SIR of electoral rolls undertaken by the EC in different states of the country.
Speaking during a debate on two Telangana Municipalities (Amendment) bills, which also pertain to the State Election Commission using the electoral rolls prepared by the Election Commission of India, among others, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said the EC proposes to take up SIR in the third phase covering Telangana and other states.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has drawn significant criticism from opposition parties, activists and a segment of the “secular and Muslim community who allege that it is a rush, opaque process that risks the disenfranchisement of legitimate voters, particularly Muslims,” he said.
In Bihar, many names were deleted and reports indicate over 5.8 million names were removed from draft rolls in West Bengal as part of the verification drive, he claimed.
Saying that Hindus, Muslims and others belonging to different religions are part of the country, Owaisi said “only one person does not have the right to give certificate (to others) on loyalty to the country”.
Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi have expressed concerns regarding SIR and it “is nothing but an indirect way of CAA and NRC”, he alleged.
The AIMIM leader said the government should convene an all-party meeting as the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana has initiated the steps for implementation of SIR in the state.
Though AIMIM is not against the intensive revision of electoral rolls, no eligible voter should be deprived of his right to vote, he said.
During SIR, “not a single Muslim name in Bihar was found to be from Bangladesh or from Pakistan or elsewhere,” he said.
A political propaganda was on to spread hatred in the name of “Hindu-Muslim,” he said. “This country belongs to all. This country is not the fiefdom of anyone’s father,” he said.
BJP floor leader A Maheshwar Reddy said he does not understand why the Speaker gave opportunity to the AIMIM member to speak for long when he was speaking on Bihar and UP which are not related to the issue at hand.
The SIR is being carried out to remove fake votes irrespective of communities, he said. How “Hindu-Muslim” comes into this debate, he asked.
Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the government listened to the views of both AIMIM and BJP members and it would get back with a proper reply.
He assured that the electoral rolls would not exclude any eligible voter as recorded by the State Election Commission as per the provisions of the EC.
He also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is fighting for ensuring that no eligible voter, irrespective of religion, is barred from voting.
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