Congress MP Manickam Tagore slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, calling its Special Intensive Review (SIR) campaign a “harassment tool for the poor.” He said the drive is used to scrub voter lists in ways that benefit the ruling BJP and its chief minister Amit Shah, and that Tamil Nadu will soon face the same crackdown.
The ECI’s criticism came after the commission announced it had held “one‑to‑one” meetings with chief electoral officers from five key states and union territories—Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal—during a two‑day conference at the India International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. The conference focused on improving voter registration accuracy, but Tagore argues the SIR is a political weapon.
“SNIT [SIR] is aimed at removing elderly votes and harassing the public,” Tagore told reporters. “The ECI is acting under BJP instruction and has no intention of working honestly.”
Tagore also responded to comments from Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan, leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Rashtriya Vikas) – a group that sits in BJP‑led coalition. Paswan recently suggested that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is exploiting Muslim voters. Tagore criticized Paswan’s remarks, saying he “has abandoned his principles for a ministerial post” and urging him to reconsider his stance.
In a broader electoral context, Tagore said the Mahagathbandhan coalition aims to form the next state government together, promising a deputy chief minister from Congress and openness about post‑election plans. He warned Paswan that his statements could alienate minority voters even as the parties remain allied.
The controversy underscores growing concerns over voter‑list integrity and political interference in India’s upcoming state elections.
Source: ianslive
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