Indore: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of undermining democracy through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Addressing a Constitution Day event at Geeta Bhawan Square on Wednesday, Singh claimed the SIR process was a “sinister ploy” by the BJP-led government to disenfranchise voters, particularly marginalised communities, and warned that it could pave the way for stripping citizenship.
Singh, joined by Congress MP Vivek Tankha, alleged that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) face intense pressure to delete names from pre-fed lists, with some driven to suicide. “The SIR is turning democracy into a dictatorship,” he thundered, citing the removal of 62 lakh votes in Bihar as evidence of targeted voter suppression.
The event, attended by Congress leaders like Chintu Chouksey and Vipin Wankhede, saw Singh honour BLOs resisting the process.
The Congress has demanded machine-readable voter lists and Aadhaar-based verification to ensure transparency, and it has criticised the ECI for excluding Aadhaar from acceptable IDs. Tankha called the SIR a “direct assault” on voting rights, especially for the poor and tribals.
The BJP dismissed the allegations as “baseless”, accusing Congress of deflecting its organisational failures.
As Madhya Pradesh gears up for elections, Singh’s charges have ignited a fierce debate, with the Opposition vowing to escalate protests against what it calls “vote theft”.