Curious Case Of Muslim Names In Voter List Of Hindu Homes In This Bihar Village

How can Hindu homes have names of Muslim voters, ask villagers in this Bihar village. The Election Commission had recently carried out a massive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a re-verification of electoral rolls in the state ahead of the upcoming polls. 

The complaints came from Mohanpur village in Katesar panchayat, which falls under the Sakra assembly segment in Muzaffarpur.  

Rumours, fear and resentment have spread in the village due to Muslim names being added against Hindu homes in the voter list.

People are claiming that this is not a technical error but a big political conspiracy.

The administration has promised to look into the matter. 

Ward 6 of Mohanpur is a hub of Hindu homes, but many Muslim names are added to these homes. Most Muslim names are against homes where no one has lived for many years or where there are fewer members in the household.

Under house numbers 36, 37 and 38, names of 15 Muslim voters are registered, while local people say that no Muslim family lives there.

"There are six members in my house number 30, but now a new name Roshan Khatoon, whose husband's name is Mohd Shabir, has been added, whereas there are no Muslims in the village. And yet the name has been added," said Kameshwar Thakur, an elderly man dressed in a white vest and seated on a wooden chair. 

Kameshwar Thakur's brother, Umesh Thakur, who no longer lives here, has 11 Muslim names registered in his House Number 50. 

More than 100 Muslim names have been added against 20 to 25 families in the village.

In House Number 54, Pawan Thakur lives alone, but now there are eight Muslim names added to the voter list against the same house. 

"I live here alone. I have three daughters, but they are all married. My wife died in 2020. Only I live here," said Pawan Thakur.

When asked if he is aware about the addition of new names, he said," We found out yesterday that eight Muslim names have been added to our house. We are surprised how this happened." 

"All this has happened as part of a conspiracy," he added. 

When the local Booth Level Officer or BLO Renu Kumari was approached regarding the matter, she was seen avoiding the media. 

Senior poll officials say an investigation is underway.