Dehradun: Amid opposition protests in Delhi over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched a sharp attack on the Congress and opposition parties. On Tuesday, opposition MPs marched from Parliament toward the Election Commission headquarters, alleging irregularities in the voter list revision and demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Reacting to the protest, CM Dhami noted that Gyanesh Kumar was appointed Chief Election Commissioner last year, whereas the BJP and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had been winning elections long before that. He accused the opposition of making a habit of blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Election Commission, or administrative authorities whenever they face electoral defeat.
The Chief Minister emphasized that Special Intensive Revisions are not new and have been conducted periodically across the country. He maintained that such procedures are essential to purify electoral rolls and eliminate duplicate or invalid entries.
Questions Over Illegal Infiltration and Duplicate Voters:
CM Dhami questioned whether individuals who are not citizens of India or who hold voter registrations across multiple states should be permitted to vote. He stated that no legitimate political group should object to measures intended to clean up the voter list, alleging that certain groups are upset because avenues used to manipulate elections are now being shut down.
“Nation Driven by Constitution and Law”:
Reiterating that the nation will function based on the Constitution, law, and order—rather than hooliganism and public disruption—Dhami pointed out the contradiction in opposition strategy, noting that they question EVMs after losing, yet accept the same system when victorious.
He criticized the opposition for continuously attempting to undermine constitutional institutions for political gain. Meanwhile, security remained tight during the opposition march in Delhi, where police halted MPs moving toward the Election Commission, leading to brief detentions of several leaders.
