I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties united, want discussion on SIR issue in Parliament: Kharge

New Delhi: I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties are united in demanding a discussion in Parliament on the voter roll revision exercise in Bihar as it is important to protect the voting rights of all Indians, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Wednesday.

At a joint press conference with I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders at Vijay Chowk, Kharge claimed that minorities, Dalits and adivasis are facing the risk of losing their voting rights.

"I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties want discussion in Parliament on special intensive revision of (SIR) electoral rolls in Bihar but the government is unwilling," the Congress president said.

"We have been urging the speaker, chairman and the government again and again that the voting rights of people should not be stolen.... That is what is happening in the SIR exercise," he said.

Referring to the statements from the government and Chair in both Houses that the functioning of the Election Commission of India cannot be discussed in Parliament as it is an independent constitutional body, Kharge said everything under the sun can be discussed.

"We want to have an opportunity to discuss it. There are problems with the voters' list, and they are indulging in vote theft. They are doing it undemocratically... They are in a way trying to cast doubt on the citizenship of individuals," he said.

Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose said they will continue protests inside and outside Parliament over the SIR issue, and also raise concerns over "attacks" on Bengali-speaking people in BJP ruled states.

She said a march will be taken out to the EC office on August 11 by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties.

"We will protest inside and outside House. They are 'stealing' votes through SIR, we will carry on with our protest," she also said.

Ghose also alleged that there are attacks on Bengalis speakers in states and that they are being taken to detention camps.

"We protest this as well. This is an insult of Bengali language and Bengali people," she said. Congress MP K C Venugopal said the fundamental principle of democracy is being questioned by the EC itself as it is not even listening to the Supreme Court.

"They (government) are not even ready for discussion on this issue in Parliament. The EC is going to take away the voting rights of the common citizens of this country - downtrodden, marginalised people. We, the members of the Parliament, believe that it is our duty to raise this issue in Parliament but there is no avenue for a discussion...if this cannot be discussed in Parliament where would it be discussed," he asked.

"I think government wants to hide something on this issue. They don't want an open discussion in Parliament, they want to hide something that is why they are putting pressure on Speaker in Lok Sabha. We are not getting even 10 seconds to raise the issue...we are not going to stop here itself. This is the fundamental issue of democracy," he said.

Venugopal claimed that it is the minorities, Dalits, adivasis, MGNREGA workers who are losing their voting and rights of migrant workers are being snatched.

"The people who want to steal the rights of the poor, they are thieves and nothing else. We demand that SIR should be discussed," he asserted.

DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said they are here to take the message to the people on what is happening in Parliament. He claimed that the ruling party is putting the blame on the opposition that they are not allowing the House to function.

"Having full trust in this temple of democracy, we are insisting on a debate on SIR. On that basis, the EC, by way of revising electoral rolls, is disqualifying many from having voting rights," he said.

John Brittas of the CPI-M said, "Voters list is the cornerstone of a democracy, if it is manipulated, the very essence of democracy will be corrupted. Anything that concerns democracy of a country needs to be debated in Parliament." "This government has been resorting to sabotaging opposition-led governments in states and from there it has gone to sabotaging the voters list," he alleged, adding the entire opposition from the Left to the TMC to the Congress and AAP have come together to fight against SIR.

AAP leader Sandeep Pathak noted that half of the Parliament session has been washed out.

"You may be wondering why debate is not happening, it is because all Opposition parties are demanding a discussion on a very important issue - the SIR. I have a few questions, and the government needs to answer them," he said.

Pathak said it is impossible to procure the documents needed for the SIR in the timeline set by the poll officials and questioned the need for the poll revision exercise.

CPI's Sandosh Kumar P claimed the SIR and CAA are two sides of the same coin. Extending support to the Opposition march to the Election Commission on August 11, he said all parties are united in demanding a discussion on the issue.

IUML's E T Mohammed Basheer said it is not an issue pertaining to Bihar alone.

"It is just the beginning, it will jeopardise the entire system of election so we must have the determination to fight it....when these kinds of things happen, we cannot keep silent. So not just inside but outside Parliament also there is going to be a big agitation," he said.

Earlier in the day, members of several opposition parties staged a protest march inside Parliament complex.

With a banner reading 'discussion not deletion', several MPs of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties staged a protest, 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 SIR). It is very easy for them to resolve this within five minutes. They should discuss it, what the harm is? Our viewpoint will come, their viewpoint 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.