Patna, September 1: Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM President Hemant Soren joined Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav’s “Voter Rights Yatra” in Patna on Monday, giving a strong call to safeguard democracy and the Constitution through the power of the ballot. Soren underlined that the fight for voting rights is beyond party lines and directly linked to protect the country’s democratic fabric.
Soren alleged that the BJP-led NDA is trying to snatch away people’s rights in the name of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Speaking at the culmination of Congress’ Voter Adhikar Yatra in Patna, Soren claimed that voter lists are being prepared as per the wishes of the ruling coalition.
He accused the NDA government of following a “divide and rule” policy and appealed to all INDIA bloc partners to stay united to defeat the BJP. Soren also charged the saffron party with indulging in “vote theft” and horse-trading to topple elected state governments.
Attacking the Centre, the Jharkhand CM said the BJP is misusing agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI to target opposition leaders. Stressing the importance of the ballot, he said that every vote plays a vital role in protecting and safeguarding the Constitution.
Notably, the “Voter Rights Yatra,” which started on August 17, culminated in Patna today with several opposition leaders marking their presence. According to JMM leaders, the campaign is crucial to counter the process of SIR, which they claim is aimed at disenfranchising the poor and marginalized.
Before Soren’s visit to Patna, JMM General Secretary Vinod Pandey said Hemant Soren’s participation carries special significance as he has emerged as a strong pillar of the INDIA alliance. He alleged that SIR is a joint conspiracy of the BJP and the Election Commission to suppress anti-BJP voters, but added that increasing awareness among the public would foil such attempts.
Pandey also reminded that the Jharkhand Assembly had already passed a resolution against SIR, terming it a direct attack on democracy. He expressed confidence that, similar to Jharkhand in 2024, the people of Bihar too will give a decisive mandate in favour of the INDIA bloc in the upcoming assembly elections.
