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Lock BLOs inside your house, don't let them delete names from voter list: Jharkhand minister on SIR

RANCHI: Addressing a gathering at Seva Ke Adhikar Saptah programme in Jamtara on Sunday, Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari advised people to lock the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) inside if they visit their homes for Survey of Intensive Revision (SIR). Ansari also alleged that the BJP is conspiring to brand people as infiltrators and eliminate their names from the voter list under the guise of SIR. If anybody (BLO) comes to remove your name (SIR) from the voter list, lock them inside your house.....I will come and open the lock. Never allow them at any cost to remove your name from the voter list, said Irfan Ansari. According to Ansari, SIR is being misused to remove voters from electoral rolls, further claiming that around 65 lakh names were removed from the voters list in Bihar under the same process, resulting in an estimated loss of nearly 80 assembly seats for the Mahagathbandhan. Ansari said that this move not only deprived thousands of citizens of their voting rights but also cast doubts on their citizenship. He warned that the BJP is now planning to implement similar tactics in West Bengal and then in Jharkhand. Addressing the gathering, Dr Ansari said that several documents are now required to be submitted for inclusion in the electoral roll, which many people may not be able to provide. Therefore, he said, SIR increases the risk of exclusion of valid voters from the electoral roll. Ansari cleared that the issue does not concern only Muslims but also affects tribal communities, Dalits, backward classes and all weaker sections of society. He cited the example of Bihar and urged public representatives to remain alert. Reacting strongly, BJP termed Ansaris remarks as misleading and an attempt to remain in the headlines. The party said that the minister is making baseless claims without proper understanding of SIR. The party said that BLOs are government employees who work under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner and should not be linked to any political party.