New Delhi [India], July 9 : Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Wednesday said that the part and INDIA bloc opposes the "violation" of common man's right as their alliance held 'Bihar Bandh' protest in the state against ECI's decision to revise electoral rolls ahead of the assembly election.
Speaking with ANI, Pramod Tiwari said, "Congress and INDIA bloc oppose the violation of common man's rights... Over 88% of Bihar's population goes out of the state to do labour... A homeless person might find their identity proof, but how can they find their ancestors'... We will fight this up to the Supreme Court... The Election Commission has been completely exposed now... Is this a directive or order of murder of democracy?"
Tiwari emphasised that everyone from the "poor and unprivileged section" is supporting 'Bihar Bandh'
"Everyone from the poor and unprivileged section is supporting this... I appreciate this successful campaign," he said.
Additionally, at the 'Bihar Bandh' rally in Patna, state RJD President Mangani Lal Mandal said, "The Election Commission has compelled us to get to the streets... Election Commission is a tactic of the BJP."
On the other hand, JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar questioned why the INDIA bloc is making revising electoral rolls a "political agenda" when there is a provision in the constitution to remove names.
"They move around with a copy of the Constitution while continuously raising questions on the Constitutional Institutions... Their constituent parties had expressed objection that there is duplication of the names of various voters during previous elections. The names of dead people were on the list. In such a situation, if there is a provision for removing names, then why are they making it a political agenda?" Neeraj Kumar said.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, on Wednesday led the 'Bihar Bandh' protest in Patna against the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to undertake the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Several senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, including CPI General Secretary D Raja, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram, Kanhaiya Kumar, and Sanjay Yadav, also participated in the protest.