TVK holds protest against SIR across Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Nov 16 (PTI) Actor-Politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam on Sunday held a statewide demonstration against the SIR of electoral rolls exercise being carried out across Tamil Nadu.

TVK state general secretary N Anand and senior leader Adhav Arjuna led the protests in Chennai, while others including joint general secretary CTR Nirmalkumar took part in Madurai and propaganda secretary KG Arunraaj in Coimbatore.

Addressing the gathering at Chepauk here, Arjuna said, "TVK leader Vijay is not a candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections, but he will be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu." "I have been requesting Anand sir to hold meetings in Chennai regularly. Whatever has been told by the DMK to defame us, we should not react. As per our thalaivar (leader Vijay's) words, we should move on like a river. We should only take the positives. We should ensure that the objective of making our leader as the CM in 2026 elections is achieved," he said.

Arjuna criticised the conditions put forth by the state government in holding the protests, stating that even on Sunday morning, the police officials instructed the party to reduce the height of the stage to three feet from five feet.

In his speech, Anand said, as per the instructions of party chief Vijay, TVK was staging the protest across Tamil Nadu.

"This protest is not just for a small demand. But it is being held to place it on record that through the SIR exercise, the voting rights of people are removed," he alleged.

"People inform us that by stating false reasons like a particular voter has shifted to another address or has passed away, the details of a voter along with the details of their family members are removed through this SIR. This is purely an example of abuse of power," he said.

The party cadres holding placards raised slogans against the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision exercise.

At the protest in Coimbatore, Arunraj said conducting SIR is necessary and assumes significance too.

"But, our only question is that in this rainy season and with Tamil Nadu going to face the assembly elections in 2026, why is there such a hurry to conduct the SIR exercise," he asked.

He raised apprehension about how the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would be able to take up three visits to the house of 6.4 crore voters in Tamil Nadu and how they are going to verify the submitted forms within a month. PTI VIJ KH