SIR: TN CM doing politics to save ''fake votes'', alleges BJP''s Tarun Chugh

Chennai, Nov 21 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee were doing politics "to save fake votes" by opposing SIR of electoral rolls, senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh alleged on Friday.

Whether it Stalin, Banerjee, or the Aam Aadmi Party, "all of them do politics to save fake votes", the BJP National General Secretary said.

He was speaking to reporters after attending a review meeting called by Tamil Nadu BJP here to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list.

"They conduct rallies/marches (against SIR). And as a citizen of India, it is a violation of my rights that the election of a leader in the country is handed over to a foreigner, or to an infiltrator. How can this be good." "The public of Bihar has given strict punishment to the parties that save infiltrators and to those who engage in dynastic bullying. And this punishment will be meted out wherever people work to save infiltrators, or to the parties that prioritise infiltrators in the country's decisions. Whether it is Tamil Nadu or Bengal, the same thing will happen to them," said Chugh.

He was apparently referring to the BJP-led NDA's resounding win in the just concluded Bihar Assembly polls where the opposition INDIA bloc was trounced by the ruling coalition.

K Annamalai, former Tamil Nadu BJP chief said that at the review meeting they discussed the nitty-gritties of SIR, as the party volunteers are diligently involved in the work for the intensive voter list revision across 68,000 booths in Tamil Nadu, collaborating with the public.

"All of that was reviewed today. At the same time, we have identified many bogus voters, and today our leaders brought that to the attention of Chugh. In many places, the ruling party DMK is misusing its power and utilising BLOs (Booth Level Officers) to carry out certain activities, and this has also been brought to his attention," said Annamalai.

According to him, in places where the BLOs were not functioning properly, the Election Commission has replaced them.

"We always trust the EC, and trusting them, we continue to file complaints. At the same time, the BLOs must be protected from the clutches of the ruling party, and simultaneously, the SIR must take place honestly. Our volunteers will ensure that," added Annamalai. PTI JR SA