Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc members protest over the issues of 'poll fraud' and SIR of electoral rolls. Pic/ PTI
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, TMC’s Derek O'Brien, DMK’s TR Baalu, NCP(SP)’s Supriya Sule, along with other opposition MPs from DMK and Left parties, assembled near Parliament’s Makar Dwar for the SIR protest. They held up banners and chanted slogans, demanding a rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process
One banner displayed by the protesting MPs read "Our Vote. Our Right. Our Fight," while another proclaimed "SIR - Silent Invisible Rigging"
During the protest, Congress MP Manickam Tagore accused the Election Commission, led by Rajeev Kumar and Gyanesh Kumar, of acting as an extension of the BJP
He stated, "Minta Devi is a first-time voter listed at the age of 124. The voter list includes her as a new voter. We demand discussion on such glaring issues. The Election Commission has effectively become a BJP department. The voter list is riddled with such irregularities"
Opposition parties have maintained protests in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, claiming the exercise aims to disenfranchise voters in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. They have been pressing for a detailed discussion on the matter in both Houses
Due to the ongoing protests over SIR, Parliament has faced a deadlock, with minimal business conducted since the Monsoon session began on July 21, aside from limited discussions on Operation Sindoor. Frequent adjournments have disrupted proceedings
As MPs wore white caps marked with a red cross and slogans such as ‘SIR’ and "vote chori," they attempted to walk from Makar Dwar to the Election Commission office carrying placards and banners. However, police blocked their path with barricades outside the building
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