With the Assembly elections approaching, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin declared that the party will stall all efforts by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to undertake the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at the marriage function of DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate N.R. Elango, Stalin referred to the ongoing SIR exercise in poll-bound Bihar, where about 65 lakh Biharis were removed from the voters’ list. He strongly opposed the exercise and praised the “Voter Adhikar Yatra” led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to raise awareness among the people. Stalin noted that he participated in the yatra alongside them two days ago.
“This situation should not happen in Tamil Nadu. We must be prepared to stall all efforts by the ECI, which has become a puppet of the BJP-led central government, by creating awareness among the people,” he asserted. Stalin also commended Elango’s efforts to safeguard the Constitution and urged the newly-wedded couple to give Tamil names to their children.
Recalling his remarks at the Bihar yatra, Stalin said Bihar is the epicentre of India’s democratic battle and predicted that BJP’s arrogance will be defeated there, where the INDIA bloc alliance was born. “This spark will light the next chapter of India’s democracy. BJP cannot crush people’s power by deleting voters or hijacking institutions,” he said.
Terming the removal of 65 lakh Biharis from the voter list as a “murder of democracy,” Stalin emphasized that the BJP’s treacherous politics would fail and that the INDIA alliance will win in the Bihar Assembly polls. “Whenever democracy in India is in danger, Bihar has always raised the battle cry. That is history,” he noted.
Stalin further said that removing citizens from voter rolls, despite having all identity documents, is a form of destruction. Giving a clarion call, he said Bihar must prove once again that the power of the people can make any dictator bow down.