Union Minister alleges conspiracy to remove Hindu voters
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday accused the Congress government in Telangana of conspiring with the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to remove Hindu votes while increasing their own voter base during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad, he claimed that the ruling Congress party and AIMIM were working together to manipulate the electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming elections.
Congress and AIMIM collusion alleged
Sanjay Kumar alleged that the Congress government was intentionally targeting Hindu voters in the SIR process. “The Congress and AIMIM together are trying to remove Hindu votes while increasing their votes,” he said. He further claimed that the revision was being carried out in a biased manner, with the aim of reducing the Hindu electorate in key constituencies. The Union Minister demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and called for the Election Commission of India to intervene and ensure a fair revision process.
Impact on electoral rolls
The Special Intensive Revision is a periodic exercise undertaken by the Election Commission to update and correct electoral rolls. However, Sanjay Kumar expressed concerns that the process was being misused by the state government to disenfranchise Hindu voters. He cited instances where names of Hindu voters were allegedly being deleted without proper verification, while names of Muslim voters were being added without adequate scrutiny. “This is a serious threat to the democratic process,” he warned.
Political reactions and demands
The BJP leader’s allegations have sparked a political controversy in Telangana. The ruling Congress party has dismissed the charges as baseless and accused the BJP of trying to create communal discord. Telangana Congress spokesperson said, “The SIR is being conducted transparently, and any claims of bias are unfounded.” Meanwhile, AIMIM leaders have also rejected the allegations, stating that they are not involved in the revision process. Sanjay Kumar has urged the Election Commission to conduct a special audit of the electoral rolls in constituencies with significant Hindu populations and ensure that no voter is wrongfully removed.
Background on Special Intensive Revision
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is conducted to add new voters, delete deceased or shifted voters, and correct errors. According to the Election Commission, the process involves door-to-door verification by booth-level officers. However, Sanjay Kumar argued that the Congress government was using this process to manipulate the voter list for political gains. He cited data showing a disproportionate number of deletions in Hindu-majority areas compared to Muslim-majority areas. “We have evidence that shows the pattern of deletions is not random but targeted,” he claimed.
Call for action
Sanjay Kumar has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, demanding a halt to the SIR process until a thorough review is conducted. He has also asked for the deployment of central observers in sensitive constituencies. “The Congress government is conspiring to change the demographic composition of the electorate. This cannot be allowed,” he said. The Union Minister’s allegations have added to the political tension in Telangana, with the BJP planning to launch a statewide agitation against the Congress government’s handling of the electoral roll revision.
