I.N.D.I.A bloc spreading misinformation ahead of Bihar polls: BJP
As the Bihar assembly polls approach, the political landscape in the state is getting increasingly heated. The latest development in this saga is the claim by the I.N.D.I.A bloc that the Election Commission (EC) is planning to disenfranchise two crore voters in the state. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has rubbished these allegations, accusing the I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders of spreading misinformation and trying to shift the blame for their impending defeat.
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain slammed the I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders for opposing the EC’s revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. He alleged that the leaders are trying to create a false narrative to deflect attention from their own shortcomings. “They know they’re about to lose to NDA (in Bihar polls)…and want to blame EC,” Hussain said, adding that the EC’s exercise is aimed at streamlining the electoral process and ensuring the sanctity of the democratic system.
The I.N.D.I.A bloc, which includes parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress, and the Left parties, has been vocal in its criticism of the EC’s decision to revise the electoral rolls in Bihar. The bloc has alleged that the exercise will lead to the exclusion of millions of voters from the electoral list, thereby disenfranchising them. However, the EC has maintained that the exercise is aimed at removing duplicate entries, dead voters, and voters who have shifted to other states.
The controversy surrounding the electoral rolls revision has sparked a heated debate in the state, with both sides trading charges. The I.N.D.I.A bloc has accused the EC of being biased and working at the behest of the BJP-led NDA government, while the EC has maintained that its decisions are independent and based on facts.
Despite the EC’s assurances, the I.N.D.I.A bloc has refused to back down, with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claiming that the EC’s exercise is aimed at “disenfranchising the poor and the marginalized”. Yadav has demanded that the EC scrap the exercise and instead, conduct a fresh exercise to update the electoral rolls.
The BJP, however, has refused to buy into the I.N.D.I.A bloc’s narrative, with Hussain accusing the leaders of spreading misinformation and trying to create confusion among voters. He claimed that the EC’s exercise is necessary to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and that it will not lead to the disenfranchisement of any voter.
The controversy has also sparked concerns among civil society activists, who have called for transparency and accountability in the electoral process. “It is essential that the EC remains impartial and transparent in its decision-making process,” said a civil society activist. “Any attempt to manipulate the electoral rolls or disenfranchise voters is a threat to democracy itself.”
As the Bihar assembly polls approach, it remains to be seen how the controversy surrounding the electoral rolls revision will play out. However, one thing is clear: the I.N.D.I.A bloc’s allegations of mass disenfranchisement have been rejected by the EC and the BJP, and the focus now shifts to the actual electoral battle.
