Jamtara, Nov 24: Jharkhand Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari has sparked a major political controversy by urging people to resist the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and making aggressive remarks against Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
Speaking publicly on Sunday, Ansari warned people not to cooperate with BLOs visiting their homes. He said that if BLOs come to homes in the name of SIR, they should be tied up, a remark that has attracted sharp criticism and raised concerns over law and order.
He claimed that talking to BLOs could lead to the removal of their names from the voter list further claiming that he would not allow the SIR exercise to be implemented in Jharkhand under any circumstances, and insisted that no one’s name would be deleted from the voter rolls.
The Health Minister alleged that the BJP is using the SIR process as a political tool to manipulate voter lists. He claimed that names are being deliberately removed under the pretext of verification and that people whose names are deleted could also face problems with their Aadhaar-linked identities and bank accounts.
He further alleged that this was part of a larger conspiracy to divert public money.
Ansari said that a large population in Jharkhand lacks proper documentation and often votes based on slips or informal identification. He expressed concern that such people would be the most affected during the verification exercise. He alleged that voters who do not support the BJP would be removed from the list, while those loyal to the party would be added.
Referring to Bihar, Ansari claimed that around 65 lakh voters were removed from the electoral rolls during the SIR process, while only 2.2 million new names were added.
He also alleged that many people were branded as infiltrators and deprived of their identity and citizenship rights. He also alleged that new names were added from outside the state to influence voting in favour of the BJP.
Although the SIR process has not yet been implemented in Jharkhand, the minister’s remarks have already triggered political tension and public anxiety across the state, with strong reactions expected from election authorities and political parties.
