'Discussion not deletion': Opposition MPs step up pressure on govt to hold debate on SIR

New Delhi: With a banner reading 'discussion not deletion', several MPs of the INDIA bloc parties staged a protest in the Parliament House complex on Wednesday against the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar, and demanded its rollback as well as a debate on it in both Houses of Parliament. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the government, saying "they have become so weak" that neither they are able to face US President Donald Trump nor able to run Parliament. "It is a very simple thing, we are only asking for a discussion (on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar). It is very easy for them to resolve this within five minutes. They should discuss it, what the harm is? Our view point will come, their view point will come, it will be over," the MP from Wayanad said as she participated in the protest and raised slogans against the government and SIR. Holding banners and posters against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, TMC's Mahua Moitra, as well as other opposition MPs raised slogans and demanded a rollback of the SIR as they staged their protest near Parliament's Makar Dwar.

This was the eleventh day of their protest with only one day gap in between on Monday when the opposition skipped their protest in view of the demise of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren. There was a huge banner in front of the protesting MPs which read 'Discussion not deletion'. Another banner carried by the protesting MPs read 'SIR - Silent Invisible Rigging'. With 'Stop SIR' placards along with posters, alleging collusion between the EC and the government, in hand, the MPs of the opposition, including those of the Congress, DMK, TMC, and Left parties, among others, participated in the protest and also carried out a brief march. The opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, alleging the EC's exercise was aimed at "disenfranchising voters" in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses.