New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Election Commission and the Union government, accusing them of “murdering democracy” through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and deliberately overburdening Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to manipulate voter lists ahead of crucial Assembly polls.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Leader of the Opposition alleged that the EC’s drive – ostensibly to clean voter rolls – is being weaponised to delete lakhs of genuine voters, particularly from marginalised communities, Dalits, tribals and minorities. “This is not revision; this is voter suppression on an industrial scale,” he charged.
Gandhi highlighted the tragic deaths of at least 12 BLOs across states in the past few weeks due to extreme work pressure and harassment by local officials. “Teachers and government employees are being forced to work 18–20 hours a day without food or rest. Some have died of heart attacks on the job. Yet the EC and government remain silent. Is this democracy or dictatorship?” he asked.
The Congress leader demanded immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, compensation of ₹1 crore each to the families of deceased BLOs, and an independent judicial probe into the “systematic deletion” of voters. He warned that the Congress would launch nationwide agitation if the EC did not roll back the drive.
The Election Commission is yet to respond to the allegations.