Congress chief Kharge joins INDIA bloc protest against Bihar SIR at Parliament

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday joined the protest by MPs of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in poll-bound Bihar. The protest, which entered its fifth consecutive day, was held at Parliament’s Makar Dwar.

Several senior Congress leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and party leader Priyanka Gandhi, also participated in the protest. The MPs marched from the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises ahead of the start of the day’s session.

The MPs were seen carrying multiple posters and a big banner which read “SIR- Attack on Democracy.”

The INDIA bloc MPs, at the Parliament premises, raised slogans against the Centre, chanting “Modi sarkar down down” and “Stop the attack on democracy.” The MPs also tore down the posters in a symbolic gesture of rejecting the Bihar SIR.

Speaking to reporters before the protest, Kharge said, “We are fighting against that only (Special Intensive Revision exercise).”

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, who also attended the protest, criticised the Election Commission (EC) for not providing the updated voter rolls to the political parties.

#WATCH | Delhi | LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge symbolically tears the SIR and throws it in a dustbin during the INDIA bloc’s protest in Parliament premises pic.twitter.com/oFmd7KvWJO

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025

“They should respond to the allegations. They should provide us with the voters’ list, which we have been asking for. There should be transparency. It is a democracy. All political parties should have access to that information. Why is it not being provided?” Priyanka Gandhi told reporters at the Parliament premises.

#WATCH | Delhi: Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other INDIA bloc MPs, symbolically tear the SIR and throw it in a dustbin. pic.twitter.com/5dlg005EjU

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday also warned the poll panel that the opposition would not let them get away with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar.

“I want to send a message to the Election Commission: If you think you are going to get away with it, if your officers think they are going to get away with it, you are mistaken. You are not going to get away with it, because we are going to come for you,” Lok Sabha LoP told reporters outside Parliament, just after the house was adjourned.

He accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of indulging in “cheating” during the voter list revision process in a Karnataka constituency.

The ECI, in turn, has asked the party to “wait for the HC verdict” on the alleged voter list manipulation in Karnataka. The state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has also said that the office did not receive any appeals regarding “wrongful” additions and deletions in the electoral rolls after the Special Summary Revision in the state, which was conducted prior to the General Elections last year.

The opposition parties, including Congress and Samajwadi Party, have been protesting against the SIR exercise in poll-bound Bihar, alleging that it’s an attempt to disenfranchise voters, particularly from marginalised communities. They claim that the process is being used to remove names from the voters’ list, which could impact the outcome of upcoming assembly elections. (ANI)