DURG: Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Friday accused the Opposition of opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls because it wanted to win elections with the support of "infiltrators", and defended the exercise as necessary to remove ineligible voters.
Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh's Durg city as part of the BJP's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' campaign, Nadda alleged that a sharp rise in voter numbers in nine West Bengal districts bordering Bangladesh pointed to the presence of infiltrators.
He claimed that the number of voters in these districts had increased by 70 per cent to more than 100 per cent, and alleged that the Opposition was uncomfortable with the SIR because it relied on such voters to form governments.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that no foreigner or ineligible person has the right to vote in India. Is this country a 'dharamshala' where anyone can enter and vote at will? Will we allow that?" he said.
Nadda also rejected the Opposition's allegation that 13 crore names had been removed from electoral rolls during the SIR. He said the figure included around three crore absentee voters, 6.30 crore people who had changed addresses, one crore duplicate entries and 2.80 crore deceased voters.
He added that eligible voters could still submit forms to get their names included in the electoral rolls.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over allegations of vote theft, Nadda said elections in a democracy were won through votes and not street protests. He urged the Congress to focus on winning people's confidence instead of misleading them with allegations of electoral malpractice.
"Learn to win people's hearts and go among them," he said.
Describing the SIR controversy as a battle between patriotic citizens concerned about the country and those seeking to run it with the support of infiltrators, Nadda defended the Election Commission and said India's election management was widely appreciated globally.
He said India had more than 90 crore registered voters and was the world's largest democracy.
Nadda also cited Chandameta village in Bastar, where polling could not be held until 2023 because of Maoist violence. Following an improvement in the security situation, a polling station was established there, allowing around 300 people to vote. Election officials had walked several kilometres to conduct the polling, he said.
Accusing Opposition parties of attempting to intimidate constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, Nadda said they questioned the poll panel whenever they lost elections but claimed the electoral process was fair when they won.
He also invoked the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, accusing the Congress of suppressing democracy while projecting itself as its protector. Around 1.30 lakh people were jailed for two years without charges during the Emergency, he claimed, adding that even the British had not imprisoned as many people during the freedom struggle.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, his cabinet colleagues, party MLAs, MPs and other leaders were present at the rally.
Nadda also participated in a foot march from Mahesh Colony to Ganjpara Chowk as part of the BJP campaign.
(With inputs from PTI)