Oppn parties trying to pressure judiciary with bandh in Bihar against electoral roll revision: BJP

New Delhi: Coming out strongly in support of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, the BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition parties for holding a bandh in the state against the exercise and asked if they want illegal infiltrators, including Rohingyas, to vote in elections.

Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the motive behind the strike, asking the opposition parties if they are trying to pressure the judiciary by such tactics.

“All these leaders have approached the Supreme Court, which is their right, and when the hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, why are they engaging in street politics today to exert pressure?” he said.

When the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Wednesday, what is the purpose of taking to the streets today, Prasad asked, adding, “Is it an attempt to pressure the judiciary?” “These people must either trust the judiciary or stick to the streets,” he said.

Prasad underlined that only those can vote in elections who are Indian citizens, 18 years of age or above, and ordinarily residents of the area where they are registered to vote.

“So, if the voter list is being revised, what is the issue?” he said.

“Do they want the names to remain on the voter list that do not belong there, like those of infiltrators? "Isn’t it true that sometimes Rohingyas or other such individuals illegally get their names added to the voter rolls? If the work is being done with full honesty, then what is the objection?” he said.

Prasad said the message is clear that the opposition leaders want to politicise the issue to benefit those who have been illegally added to the voter list.

“The simple truth is that they know they won’t win the Bihar elections, just as they were defeated in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi,” he said.

This came as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and other opposition leaders on Wednesday joined a state-wide bandh in Bihar against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Questioning the timing and the intent of the electoral roll revision, the opposition parties have alleged that the exercise has been initiated by the Election Commission barely a few months ahead of the assembly polls in the state to "disenfranchise a substantial number of voters" and benefit the ruling NDA.