OPINION | SIR: Stop pointing fingers at Supreme Court
After the SC verdict came on SIR, leaders of INDIA bloc parties were stunned. BJP said, the SC verdict is a slap on the face of Congress.
The Supreme Court in its landmark judgement on Wednesday held as constitutionally valid the Election Commission’s decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, EC has the right to conduct a preliminary inquiry into citizenship of a person seeking inclusion of his name as a voter.
The bench rejected the opposition’s stand that SIR was an arbitrary and exclusionary exercise. The apex court said, EC has the constitutional mandate to ensure free and fair elections, based on the integrity, accuracy and purity of voter lists.
In essence, the Supreme Court has made several points quite clear. The EC was targeted by opposition parties during the SIR exercise, first in Bihar and then in West Bengal.
At that time, several opposition parties had alleged that the EC was working as a "puppet" of the Centre and as a ‘middleman’ of BJP.
After the SC verdict came, leaders of INDIA bloc parties were stunned. BJP said, the SC verdict is a slap on the face of Congress.
Interestingly, disclosures that are being made by infiltrators at the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal clearly point out towards the necessity of carrying out SIR exerice.
These infiltrators are presently waiting at Hakimpur border checkpost in North 24 Parganas of West Bengal. They want to return to Bangladesh.
Most of these infiltrators admitted they used to cast votes in Bengal elections, they had illegally crossed the border from Bangladesh, and obtained fake Aadhar, PAN and voter i-cards.
Asked why they want to return to Bangladesh, most of the infiltrators said, the SIR process conducted by EC let the cat out of the bag. They said, their names were deleted from electoral rolls during SIR, and out of fear of being caught, they have decided to return to Bangladesh.
One Bangladeshi woman Mehfooza Khatoon said, she voted for Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in several elections. She also admitted she was getting benefits of several welfare measures in Bengal, but after BJP came to power, the situation has changed.
Her son Riazul Sheikh said, he attained the age of 18 in 2024, got his name included in electoral list, and voted in the last Lok Sabha election.
Surprisingly, his name was not deleted during SIR process. He again cast his vote in the last assembly elections, but the names of his parents were deleted from electoral rolls.
There are dozens of such families waiting at Hakimpur check post. Had it not been for SIR, thousands of such families would have continued to stay in India and getting welfare benefits.
After the Supreme Court verdict, it has now become clear that Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of “vote chori (theft)” was baseless.
Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that the EC was acting at the behest of BJP and deleting names from electoral rolls has been proved incorrect.
On the contrary, it has now been admitted by Bangladeshi infiltrators that they obtained Aadhar, PAN and voter identity cards based on fake info and with the help of leaders from Trinamool Congress, they spread out to live in different parts of India. SIR exposed their fake identities and forced them to return to Bangladesh.
Can anyone now raise questions about SIR after the SC verdict and the disclosures made by infiltrators?
Who will Rahul Gandhi blame for his party’s electoral defeats?
SIR was carried out in Kerala, then how did his party come to power in the assembly elections?
Will fingers be now pointed at the Supreme Court?
It would be better if people from both sides stop dragging Constitutional bodies into politics.
Bengal: 30 lakh fake beneficiaries detected
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has made a startling disclosure. While launching his government’s Annapurna scheme to provide Rs 3000 monthly assistance to women, Adhikari disclosed that names of nearly 30 lakh women have been found to be fake in the list of beneficiaries of Mamata Banerjee’s Lakshmi Bhandar scheme.
Adhikari said, most of them are Bangladeshis and their names have been deleted from electoral rolls. These fake beneficiaries were getting Rs 1500 per month during TMC rule, apart from getting assistance for building house and free ration.
This is not a problem relating to West Bengal alone. Infiltrators have spread out to different states of India. They are cornering benefits from welfare measures, which rightly belong to poor Indian citizens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has set up a high-level committee headed by a retired SC judge to analyse demographic changes caused by infiltration.
One should hope the committee will start its work at the earliest and the problem of infiltration is solved once and for all.
Bakrid: Why disputes over Qurbani?
There was tension in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar and Goregaon residential societies on Wednesday after it was found that goats had been brought for ‘qurbani’ (sacrifice) during Bakrid festival.
In both places, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had given permission for slaughtering in advance. When residents of these societies objected, BMC withdrew its permission.
BMC deputy mayor said, 119 places were earmarked for Qurbani during Bakrid.
Bakrid date was known much in advance and BMC could have allotted spots for Qurbani in advance. Withdrawal of permission for Qurbani at the twelfth hour causes unnecessary problems.
Such issues could have been ironed out through discussions with stakeholders. Let us hope Eid is celebrated peacefully. Eid Mubarak to all.
Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm
India's Number One and most followed Super Prime Time News Show 'Aaj Ki Baat- Rajat Sharma Ke Saath' was launched just before the 2014 General Elections. Since its inception, the show has redefined India's super-prime time and is numerically far ahead of its contemporaries. Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm.