- Congress minister Irfan Ansari has asked people to lock up electoral officers to stop the SIR exercise
- The BJP has demanded legal action against Ansari, calling his statement highly irresponsible
- The Jharkhand assembly has passed resolution condemning SIR as harmful to democracy
A minister of the Congress in Jharkhand, Irfan Ansari, has sparked a massive row asking people to "lock up" the electoral officers when they visit homes as part of the voter list revision exercise. The BJP has called for legal action against the minister, declaring his statement as "highly irresponsible".
The Congress has been spearheading the Opposition protests against the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, which was recently unrolled across the country.
The protests have been sharp in the Opposition-ruled states. In Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Election Commission to halt the process, alleging extreme mismanagement.
In Jharkhand, though, the Congress minister escalated the issue.
"Everyone should protest against SIR. If the BLO comes to your house, lock them up inside. The BLO (Booth Level Officer) is coming to delete names from voters list. Release him only after I arrive," said Irfan Ansari, the minister of health, at a public meeting.
The BJP lost no time in retaliating.
"A case should be filed against Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari, and action should be taken," said the BJP's national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain. "Saying that BLOs should be tied up at home is a highly irresponsible statement," he added.
In September, during its monsoon session, the Jharkhand assembly had passed a resolution against the SIR exercise, calling it an attempt to weaken parliamentary democracy, and deprive the poor and downtrodden of their mandate.
Bengal is considering a similar resolution.
Last week, alleging "inhuman work pressure" on the BLOs, Mamata Banerjee has written a three-page letter to the Election Commission.
"BLOs are now operating far beyond human limits. What is particularly unacceptable is the response from the Election Commission at this juncture! Instead of offering support, extending timelines, or addressing systemic flaws, the office of CEO West Bengal has resorted to intimidation," she wrote.
