WIN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE WITH ISSUES NOT UPROAR: SPEAKER’ ADVICE TO OPPOSITION

WIN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE WITH ISSUES NOT UPROAR: SPEAKER’ ADVICE TO OPPOSITION

26-JULY-ENG 11

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA----------------------------Amidst the uproar by the opposition in the monsoon session of the Bihar Assembly, Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav made a scathing remark that if the opposition continues to create "hay-tauba" like this, then even after the elections it will have to limit itself to making noise. This statement came when MLAs of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Left parties protested strongly against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the voter list.

The opposition MLAs protested outside the assembly wearing black clothes and raising slogans, in which they were accusing the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government of removing the names of voters from poor communities from the list. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Bihar Congress President Rajesh Kumar claimed that the SIR process is an attempt to manipulate the voter list ahead of the 2025 assembly elections. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akhtarul Iman also cornered the government on the issue, calling it the "cause of downfall" for the NDA.

The assembly proceedings had to be adjourned till noon due to the uproar. During this, a heated exchange was also seen between the Speaker and RJD leader Alok Mehta. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also present in the House during this time.

The Election Commission clarified that 96.23% of voters have been covered in the SIR process, and Bihar is the first state where less than 1,200 voters have been ensured at all polling stations. According to the commission, 5.56% of voters were not found at their registered addresses.

The opposition demanded a discussion on the issue, but the ruling party tried to avoid it by calling it a procedural matter. This development is creating new tension in Bihar politics ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.