No valid voter deleted during SIR, opposition misleading people: UP Dy CM Pathak

Budaun (UP), Dec 28 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Sunday asserted that not a single valid voter had been deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls and accused the opposition of misleading people on the issue.

Addressing reporters here, Pathak said the exercise was aimed at ensuring a transparent and accurate voter list and questioned whether the names of deceased persons or those with no traceable address should continue to remain on the rolls.

"This is not happening for the first time. Such names have been removed earlier as well," he said.

Pathak was in Budaun to attend the 66th Braj Pradesh convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), where he also addressed students.

He alleged that leaders of the Samajwadi Party opposed 'Vande Mataram' in Parliament and the Assembly and accused them of harbouring anti-national tendencies.

Calling upon the youth, the deputy chief minister said it was the responsibility of organisations like the ABVP to prevent anti-national forces from gaining ground.

He further said the opposition was creating unnecessary controversy over SIR as it was unable to digest its defeat in the Bihar elections.

Pathak expressed hope that the Election Commission would ensure the removal of infiltrators from the voter list and appealed to people to cooperate with the poll body in preparing a transparent electoral roll. PTI COR CDN NB NB