Rahul Gandhi to join ‘Bihar Bandh’ protests over electoral roll revisions ahead of Bihar Assembly elections

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday reached Patna to join the ‘Bihar Bandh’ protests, organised by the INDIA block against the Special Intensive Revision of the voter list by the Election Commission of India ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

Speaking about Rahul Gandhi joining the protests, Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram said that the Congress MP has “fought on the streets” whenever the country “faces a crisis.”

“Whenever the country has faced a crisis, Rahul Gandhi has fought on the streets. Today, voting is on the verge of being banned, we are fighting for it, and Rahul Gandhi is coming here for it,” Rajesh Ram said.

Rajesh Ram further criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision of electoral rolls before the Bihar Assembly elections.

“There is a difference between taking a decision while staying in Delhi and taking a decision while staying on the ground. If you had to do this, you should have done it before the Lok Sabha elections.”

Meanwhile, Congress workers, participating in ‘Bihar Bandh’, lay down on the road to block vehicles from crossing.

A Congress worker said, “We will keep doing this until the government accepts our demands. We will fight to the extent our leadership says… The ruling party is only trying to confuse the people.”

Another Congress worker said, “Entire Bihar has been successfully shut down. The Mahagathbandhan is united against the rigging done by the Election Commission… We will not get up even if a car runs over us.”

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc leaders burned tyres and blocked roads at the Maner Assembly stretch of National Highway 30 in Patna district.

Earlier, RJD leader Tejashwi raised “deep” concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), claiming that those who do not have any of the 11 documents asked for verification of their names will be “removed” from the electoral roll list.

“The worry is that we have no clarity from the EC so far. You all know that Bihar EC works only as a post office and has no authority to provide an answer. Why are they not answering the questions of the opposition and the people of Bihar… People of Bihar don’t have the 11 documents which EC has asked for; rather, they have an Aadhar card, MGNREGA card, and ration card. This is the only document that the poor people of Bihar have. It is clear that the people who do not have these 11 documents, their names will be removed,” Yadav said. (ANI)