Kolkata: Social scientist and political activist Yogendra Yadav on Saturday warned that the SIR of electoral rolls is designed to disenfranchise large numbers of voters in Bengal.
Speaking at a Press conference organised by The Educationists’ Forum, West Bengal and Desh Banchao Gana Mancha at the Kolkata Press Club, he said Bengal, not Bihar, was the real target of the process.
Yadav said SIR was not a routine revision but a “de novo fresh writing” of the electoral rolls. Those who fail to submit the enumeration form by December 4 will not find their names in the draft rolls, with no notice, hearing or appeal. “Bihar was only a testing ground. This SIR is only for Bengal,” he said.
He said the exclusion would take place in stages. First, those who do not submit the form would be removed directly. Second, those who submit it may later receive notices seeking lineage-related documents dating back to 2002, without any protocol for assessment. He warned that this created the possibility of arbitrary rejection.
“My fear is that West Bengal is going to witness the largest ever disenfranchisement in the history of India, and perhaps in the history of the world,” he said. “I would appeal to Mamata Banerjee, as CM of Bengal, to please ensure that no legitimate civilian is left out.
This is her duty, as well as her right,” he said. Political economist and commentator Prabhakar Parakala said: “Once the fundamental political right to vote is taken out, the essence of your citizenship is gone. Those persons are no longer meaningful participants in the political process and political community. Without that, they become associated with second-class citizens. This is the fundamental aim of SIR.”
According to Parakala, the SIR aimed to push poorer people, marginal groups and minorities out of the political community by removing their voting rights. Chairing the session, Purnendu Basu of Desh Banchao Gano Mancha, said the current revision was far more complex than that of 2002, which did not require documents. He questioned the timeline, the lack of accessible information and the absence of clarity on the number of submitted or accepted forms.
Other speakers included Omprakash Mishra, of The Educationists’ Forum and former member of the National Security Advisory Board.