Bihar and Centre colluding to deny voting rights, alleges Rabri Devi
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Patna: Former Bihar Chief Minister and senior RJD leader Rabri Devi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, accusing both the state and central governments of conspiring to strip citizens of their voting rights.
Speaking to IANS, Rabri Devi called the mass deletion of names from the voter list a “planned political move” rather than an administrative error. “The government is doing wrong by cutting names from the voter list. This is not just a mistake; it's a planned political move,” she said.
She questioned why the Election Commission of India (ECI) was conducting such an exercise exclusively in Bihar. “Why only here? Elections are nearing, and within two months, people’s names are being deleted. From where will people bring voter ID cards? The names are being cut. What kind of system is this? This is not just negligence, this is injustice.”
Rabri Devi expressed concern that migrant workers and those temporarily displaced due to seasonal employment or floods are being unfairly excluded from the rolls. “People go out during the rainy season to earn money. Many are displaced by floods. Does that mean they are no longer citizens of Bihar or India?” she asked.
Claiming that nearly three crore people have been affected, she alleged that names were removed arbitrarily. “They are collecting documents and throwing them in the garbage. What papers are they supposed to show in two months? Forefather’s documents?”
Directly blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “PM Modi is behind this. Why was this revision not done during the Madhya Pradesh elections? Why only Bihar? The Bihar government is working hand in hand with the Centre to rob people of their voting rights.”
She demanded that the ECI reach out to Bihar residents and inform them of the changes.
Rabri Devi also criticized the Nitish Kumar government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. “Crime is on the rise, not just in Bihar but across the country. But here, it’s particularly bad. Nitish Kumar is the Chief Minister and holds the Home portfolio, yet he seems unable to control the situation.”
Asked whether the Chief Minister should step down, she said, “If he can’t handle the state, then he should step aside and appoint his son as the Chief Minister. At least the youth might be able to manage things better.”
Her remarks come amid a surge in high-profile crimes in Bihar, including the recent killings of individuals like Gopal Khemka, Ajit Kumar, Ramakant Yadav, Vikram Jha, Jitendra Kumar Mahato, Sushila Devi, and Surendra Kewat. These incidents have triggered strong criticism from the Opposition, with comparisons drawn to the "jungle raj" era associated with her husband and former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Adding to the political heat, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi recently labelled Bihar the “crime capital of India,” citing media reports of 31 murders this month and warning of a flourishing “contract killing industry” in the state.
