PANAJI
AICC Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakare on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led State government, alleging that it was using the Election Commission to undermine the democratic rights of citizens as it feared facing elections.
Speaking at a protest organised by the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress at Azad Maidan against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Thakare accused the BJP of attempting to influence the electoral process through voter deletions.
“The BJP has won the last five elections, but it cannot assume that it has won the right to decide who should vote and who should not. The Election Commission is a constitutional institution, not an extension of the BJP government. If the voter is removed, democracy is removed. If the Election Commission becomes silent before the ruling party, the Constitution itself is put at risk,” Thakare said.
He alleged that the BJP was afraid of facing voters and was therefore attempting to create confusion around electoral rolls.
“The BJP should fight elections with votes, not with deletions. The CEC must answer the people of India, not the ruling party. We will not allow the voter’s right to be taken away through bureaucratic manipulation. Congress will fight this battle from the streets to the courts to protect every eligible voter,” he said.
The Youth Congress protestors demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise. Youth Congress president Archit Shantaram Naik alleged that Kumar had become a “puppet of Modi” and warned that democracy was under threat.
Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira questioned the rationale and transparency of the SIR exercise, alleging that the BJP was attempting to use electoral-roll revision as a political strategy ahead of elections.
Ferreira also raised concerns over the 13.39 crore electors categorised under ASDD during the draft-stage SIR exercise, questioning the transparency, accountability and independence of the Election Commission.
Congress leaders demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and urged the Election Commission to ensure that no eligible voter was excluded from the electoral rolls.
They warned that the Congress would intensify its campaign until complete transparency was ensured in the SIR process andevery genuine voter was protected.
