BJP Criticizes Opposition Over Bihar Voter List Cleanup

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday criticized opposition parties like the Congress and RJD for questioning the ongoing process of checking voter lists in Bihar. The BJP stated that only the people of Bihar should be able to decide the state's future, not foreigners or illegal immigrants.

This political debate started after officials from the Election Commission reported finding a large number of people from other countries, such as Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, during their house-to-house review of the voter rolls. The officials have made it clear that these individuals will be investigated, and their names will not be included in the final voter list, which is due to be published on September 30,according to The Hindu

BJP leaders strongly defended the cleanup process. Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a BJP spokesperson, said that valid voters from Bihar are not facing any issues. He stressed, "Biharis will decide the fate of Bihar by casting their votes, not citizens of other countries." quoted PTI 

According to PTI, another spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, accused the Congress and RJD of bringing these illegal immigrants into the country when they were in power to create a "vote bank." He claimed that now that these names are being removed from the list, opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are spreading "lies" to put pressure on the Election Commission.

PTI reported, Poonawalla said that the opposition parties talk about saving the Constitution but actually want to give voting rights to "foreigners and intruders." He argued that the BJP is ensuring that only Indian citizens have the right to vote, as the Constitution requires.