Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the BJP government of subjecting booth level officers to "inhuman behaviour" by giving them "impractical" SIR targets, and claimed that the revision of electoral rolls was part of the ruling party's larger "electoral manipulation".
Yadav, in a statement issued here, said booth level officers (BLOs) were being harassed and pushed into extreme mental stress, calling the treatment "highly condemnable and objectionable".
He alleged that the BJP neither created new jobs nor protected existing ones and, instead, is imposing impossible workloads, forcing staff to quit in frustration.
The BJP is doing this to further its "electoral mega-scam", while BLOs are suffering the consequences, with some even risking their lives, he further claimed.
"The BJP government is subjecting BLOs to inhuman behaviour by giving them impractical targets for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. It is a part of the ruling party’s larger electoral manipulation," he said.
He appealed to the officers and their families to unite and raise their voice, urging them not to take any step that could harm their families.
"We stand firmly with every BLO," he said.
The Samajwadi Party chief said BLOs should not be blamed for mistakes arising from systemic failures, adding that deaths of officials were occurring due to the BJP government's and the Election Commission's "shortcomings".
Accusing the BJP of trying to "end voting rights" by complicating the SIR process, he alleged that crores of names could be removed from voter lists in Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav said the BJP was fearful of public anger, and PDA (picchda, dalit, alpsankhyak) will ensure its "political end".
Reiterating the demand of Rs 1 crore compensation for families of the deceased BLOs, he announced that the Samajwadi Party would provide Rs 2 lakh assistance to their dependents.