New Delhi [India], July 24 : Following Leader of Opposition in Bihar Tejashwi Yadav's caveat of boycotting Bihar elections over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, Congress General Secretary and MP KC Venugopal said that the circumstances prevailing in the country pressurised Tejashwi Yadav to say this and SIR of electoral rolls would be not be allowed to take place.
Speaking to ANI, KC Venugopal said, "Circumstances prevailing in the country pressurised Tejashwi Yadav to say this. The Election Commission is indirectly approving the removal of so many names from the electoral roll. Why are they doing this special exercise within the stipulated time? Their intention is not correct. We will not allow it to happen."
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday warned of boycotting the upcoming Bihar elections if it is not rolled back.
Addressing media personnel, Tejashwi Yadav said, "When everything has been decided from before that the names of lakhs of people will be deleted from the voter's list, and when these same voters voted for PM Modi in the past and decided the fate of the government in the past, then it was all right. We are asking how the sudden need for SIR arose now. It means that the people in power are acknowledging that they came to power through deception earlier, and now the same thing will be repeated. When they have decided to be dishonest, then we (all parties in the Mahagathbandhan) could talk about boycotting the elections. We have this option."
He further said that he would talk with all the parties of the Mahagathbandhan.
"What is the meaning of polls if people in a democracy do not vote. The option to boycott polls is available with us. The main game will be played by EC after August 1, when scrutiny will be done," he said.
He claimed that the state is being "remote controlled" from New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah giving "orders" carry out the voter roll revision.
Opposition leaders on Thursday held a protest in front of the Bihar Assembly over the issue of the SIR exercise being carried out by ECI ahead of the state elections, to be held later this year.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) MPs, for the fourth consecutive day, protested against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission (EC) in poll bound Bihar. The MPs gathered at Parliament Makar Dwar, and called for a stop to the exercise.
The opposition parties have repeatedly called for a discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha regarding the revision exercise, moving adjournment motions everyday since the start of the monsoon session and alleging that manipulation of voter rolls is taking place under the guise of the SIR.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji, Deputy Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJ) MP Manoj Jha, among multiple other leaders attended the protest.
Carrying banner which read "SIR-Attack on Democracy," the MPs stood at Makar Dwar, demanding that the voter list revision is halted.
Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date.