SIR for purification of voters’ list, Bihar win mandate against infiltrators in country: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the victory of the BJP-led NDA in the Bihar polls was a mandate against infiltrators in the country because citizens will never favour those parties that support such illegal immigrants.

Shah said some political parties are opposing the ongoing SIR (special intensive revision) of the Election Commission as they want to make sure that names of infiltrators remain on the electoral rolls. He described the SIR as “purification” of voters' list.

He was addressing the BSF Diamond Jubilee (61st Raising Day) celebrations in Bhuj, in Gujarat's Kutch district.

“Today, the BSF (Border Security Force) is engaged in preventing infiltration at all borders of the country. Stopping infiltration is not only essential for national security but also to protect the democratic system of the country from being polluted,” he said.

However, some political parties are trying to weaken the government's anti-infiltration campaign, he said.

The Opposition, including the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, where assembly elections will be held next year, has objected to the SIR, claiming that it threatens to disenfranchise lakhs of voters.

“They are opposing the ongoing SIR and the voter list purification process being carried out by the Election Commission. I want to make it clear that we will deport every single infiltrator from this country. This is our resolve,” asserted Shah.

“Who will be the chief minister of any state in the country, or who will be the prime minister, is a decision that can only be made by the citizens of India. Infiltrators do not have the right to pollute our democratic system and influence our democratic decisions,” said the home minister.

Stressing that SIR is a process to secure and purify India's democracy, he said every citizen should fully support it.

“I also want to warn those political parties which are engaged in protecting these infiltrators. The Bihar election was the mandate of the people of the country. And that mandate is against the presence of infiltrators in our country,” said Shah.

In the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) decimated the Mahagathbandhan, an alliance of Congress, RJD and other parties, winning over 200 seats in the 243-member House.

“Those parties working to secure infiltrators' place in the voter list should know that the people of the country will never support such intentions,” said Shah.