Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 5 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Aradhana Mishra Mona on Thursday questioned the BJP over its response to the Opposition's allegations of voter deletions and irregularities in electoral rolls, asking why the ruling party was defending the Election Commission instead of addressing the concerns raised by the Opposition.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mishra alleged that the BJP was rattled by the response to the November 1 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' rally led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused the ruling party of attempting to divert attention from questions surrounding alleged vote theft and the functioning of the Election Commission.
"For the first time, the ruling party has taken to the streets against the Opposition. The BJP is holding a 'Democracy Save Yatra' under the pretext of saving democracy. Several Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of different states participated in this yatra. This is the success of our movement, which is now visible," she said.
Targeting the BJP over its response to allegations of vote theft, Mishra questioned why the party was speaking on behalf of the Election Commission when the Opposition was raising questions about the poll body's functioning.
"Nitin Nabin has reached Gorakhpur, and the Agriculture Minister has arrived in Lucknow, solely to target the Opposition. We want to ask one question: If we are raising the issue of vote theft and questioning the Election Commission, why is the BJP coming forward to respond on its behalf?" she said.
The Congress leader further said that INDIA bloc partners were fighting to protect democracy and the Constitution. She also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise had resulted in the deletion of several voters' names in Assam and a large number of names in West Bengal.
Referring to the West Bengal Chief Minister's statement that people whose names had been deleted from the electoral rolls would not receive government benefits, Mishra questioned the government's approach and alleged that the BJP was pursuing a major conspiracy.
"Is this the government's thinking? Is this what the government intends to do? This is a major conspiracy being carried out by the BJP," she said.
Turning to Uttar Pradesh, Mishra cited Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's recent remarks at a BJP meeting in Lucknow, where he reportedly expressed concern over the number of voters in the state and the deletion of names from electoral rolls.
"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh should have a total of 16 crore 70 lakh 75 thousand voters. The Chief Minister said that the names of 1 crore 27 lakh voters had been deleted from the voter list," she said.
Mishra pointed out that the Election Commission, after the SIR exercise, had released figures showing that Uttar Pradesh had approximately 13 crore 47 lakh voters. She said the Chief Minister's remarks reflected the concerns raised by the Opposition over voter deletions.
"The Chief Minister of the country's largest state is himself expressing concern that so many voters' names have been deleted from the state," she said.
She added that Adityanath had also highlighted the deletion of young voters' names and those of women who had moved to Uttar Pradesh after marriage from other states, and called for their inclusion in the electoral rolls.
"The Chief Minister has raised questions over the functioning of the Election Commission. Will this not have an impact on the number of seats in the Assembly elections? Is the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister himself acknowledging that the Election Commission has deleted voters' names? Or is all this being done to protect Gyanesh Kumar?" Mishra asked.
Emphasising the scale of the alleged deletions, she said the issue involved voters in crores rather than thousands and claimed that similar exercises had taken place in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and other places.
"We have come here to raise questions about the differences between the functioning of the State Election Commission and the Central Election Commission. Now, even the Chief Minister has confirmed that the names of 1 crore 27 lakh voters have been deleted. Gyanesh Kumar must now provide an answer," she said.
On the INDIA bloc, Mishra said the alliance had been formed in the national capital through a collective decision by all participating parties. She maintained that the alliance itself would decide which parties were part of it.
"The INDIA alliance was formed in the national capital, and all parties had collectively decided on its formation. It is for the INDIA alliance to decide who is part of it and who is not," she said. (ANI)
Why is BJP coming forward to defend EC?: UP Congress chief Aradhana Mishra questions voter deletions
