Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 20 : Union Minister L Murugan on Saturday backed the need for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying it is essential to ensure free, fair and transparent elections by removing duplicate and invalid entries from voter lists.
Speaking to ANI in Chennai, Murugan said, "Everyone needs SIR. Double voters, dead voters, their names have to be removed from the voter list. Elections have to be conducted fairly and transparently. The Election Commission is ensuring this."
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Union Minister said that his criticism of electoral processes had been rejected by the public. "When Rahul Gandhi raised this topic in Bihar, the people of Bihar pushed him out of the state. Right now, he is not even in the country either," Murugan said.
His remarks come after the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer announced on Friday that the EC has dropped the names of 97.37 lakh voters from the draft electoral rolls at the end of the first phase of SIR in the state.
Out of the 97.37 lakh voters, 66.40 lakh voters have shifted their residences, 26.90 lakh are dead, and 3.98 lakh have enrolled at multiple places, according to the data released by the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu.
The total number of voters as per the draft rolls is 5,43,76,755, as against 6,41,14587 voters when the SIR began on November 4.
Women voters have outnumbered men with 2.77 crore voters to 2.66 crore male voters. The number of third gender voters is 7,191, and 4,19,355 are PWD voters.
Furthermore, Murugan also reacted strongly to the death of a 40-year-old man who allegedly died by self-immolation over the Karthigai Deepam-related row in Tamil Nadu. Holding the ruling DMK responsible, he said the state government had created the situation that led to public anger.
"DMK government is 100 per cent responsible for this. DMK created this entire scenario. The devotees are very angry now, and this will reflect in the elections," Murugan said.
His remarks came after a 40-year-old man, Poornachandran, died by self-immolation near a police booth in Madurai on Thursday evening, allegedly protesting the non-lighting of the Karthigai Deepam atop Thiruparankundram hill despite a Madras High Court order.
A senior police official said preliminary inquiries confirmed that the deceased had circulated a voice message before the incident, explaining that he took the extreme step as the ceremonial Karthigai Deepam was not lit atop Thiruparankundram hill against the High Court's directive.
Poornachandran, a medical representative and mini auto driver, is survived by his wife and two sons, ages 4 and 8. Speaking to reporters, Chandran's brother, Ramadurai, said the deceased was deeply spiritual and frequently visited the Sathuragiri hills. Following a complaint filed by his wife, a case was registered under Section 194 of the BNSS at the Tallakulam police station.
Further investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Madras High Court had earlier directed the lighting of the lamp, but the state government challenged the decision, citing law-and-order concerns. With the growing protest and the BJP Chief's statement over Poornachandran's death, the controversy continues to snowball.