Patna: Tensions flared on the fourth day of the monsoon session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly as the contentious issue of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls dominated proceedings, drawing sharp criticism from opposition MLAs who accused the government of targeting minorities and marginalised communities.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akhtarul Iman voiced concern over alleged discrimination against the Muslim population in the Seemanchal region, saying, “By looking at our beards, caps and the minarets of our mosques, you assume we are Bangladeshis and not Indians.” He further claimed that if Seemanchal had opted to join Pakistan during the partition, “India would have been split into two parts.”
CPI(ML) MLA Mehboob Alam accused the central government of conspiring to disenfranchise the poor, Dalits and backward communities through the SIR process, which he said lacked any reference to “infiltrators” in its official documentation. “This 780-page affidavit doesn’t mention infiltrators even once, yet Muslims are being vilified in their name,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav offered an apology to the House, acknowledging any mistakes made during his party’s tenure. “This is the last session. If we or our party have erred over the past five years or hurt anyone, we apologise,” he said, urging both sides to reflect on their conduct.
Yadav criticised the Election Commission’s role, stating, “In the 700-page writ submitted to the Supreme Court, the word ‘foreigner’ is not used once. If any were included, that’s the fault of the Centre, not the voters.” He called for assurance from the Chief Minister that no Bihari voter’s name would be unjustly removed from the electoral roll.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary responded by citing past statements by former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav from 1992, allegedly calling for the removal of infiltrators from Bihar. Choudhary claimed, “About 18 lakh people have been found dead, and 26 lakh identified as having moved out. Now, only 2% migrate from Bihar.” His remarks triggered immediate protest from Tejashwi, resulting in a heated exchange and disruption in the House.
Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmed argued that the timing of the SIR exercise coincided with internal surveys indicating electoral setbacks for the state government. “This is an attempt to manipulate the voter list,” he claimed. Quoting poetry in protest, he drew a poetic retort from the Speaker: “My intentions are always clear, that’s why people are against me.”
AIMIM’s Iman also accused district officials in Seemanchal of halting the issuance of key documents. “In other districts, certificates are being issued. But in all four Seemanchal districts, the administration has ordered a halt. I demand a 25-day special camp to resolve this,” he said.
JDU MLA Vijay Choudhary maintained that the SIR process is standard and meant for voter verification. He explained, “Unlike routine verifications, this survey occurs every 20–25 years and involves house-to-house checking. In 2003, a similar SIR was completed in a month.”
Outside the Assembly, opposition parties staged a protest, wearing black clothes at the House gates. Congress state president Rajesh Ram claimed that lakhs of names had already been removed and warned of a possible opposition-wide boycott of elections. “We do not trust the Election Commission,” he declared.
However, BJP MLA and minister Shravan Kumar dismissed the boycott call as a reaction to anticipated defeat. “The opposition fears losing, so they talk of boycotts,” he said.
