Congress, AAP MPs submit suspension of business notice to discuss SIR in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Randeep Surjewala and AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday submitted suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the constitutional and electoral implications of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar.

Earlier today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday commenced the third day of his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar from Gaya, continuing his 16-day campaign to highlight alleged voter suppression and electoral manipulations by the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI) through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Sunday refuted any claims of vote theft and electoral roll manipulation, while addressing a press conference in the national capital. The Poll body has asked the Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha to submit a signed affidavit or apologise for his allegations.

The ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ kick-started on Sunday from Sasaram. The 16-day yatra aims to protest against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged ‘vote chori’. The rally will culminate in Patna on September 1 after covering more than 1,300 km across over 20 districts in 16 days.

Several leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Khera, Kanhaiya Kumar, and others, participated in the Yatra on Sunday.

During the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar’s Sasaram, the RJD president and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav called for removing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in Bihar, referring to the party as “thieves” who are harming democracy by stealing the people’s votes.

He urged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to stand united with the RJD, along with his son Tejashwi Yadav, to “uproot the BJP and throw them away”. “At any cost, do not let the BJP, which is a thief, come to power. Everyone, stand united, and together, Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, uproot them and throw them away. Save democracy,” the RJD chief added.

Earlier, CEC Gyanesh Kumar refuted all the “vote theft” claims made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a press conference in the national capital.

He termed allegations of bias by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabhas an “insult” to the Constitution of India. The CEC also asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to either furnish a signed affidavit or apologise to the nation for his remarks.

Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, hit back at the CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the ECI is asking for an affidavit from him but doesn’t from BJP MP Anurag Thakur when he makes the same allegations.

He said, “The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me. But when Anurag Thakur says the same thing that I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him.” (ANI)