Akhilesh Yadav Criticises SIR in Uttar Pradesh, Claims It is NRC in Disguise

Akhilesh Yadav has accused the SIR of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh of being a disguised version of the NRC, threatening voter participation. He urges the Election Commission to focus on increasing voter engagement rather than removing votes.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, claiming it resembles the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He alleged it is a strategy to exclude voters opposing the BJP. Yadav, attending the Vision India - AI Summit in Hyderabad, also met Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and BRS leaders, including K T Rama Rao.

Yadav expressed concern over potential voter deletions, stating, "More than three crore votes are at risk of being cut in Uttar Pradesh." He argued that if the BJP and Election Commission are involved in such actions where the BJP has lost, it constitutes a democratic conspiracy. He emphasised that this was not the intended purpose of SIR.

Electoral Roll Concerns

Addressing reporters, Yadav urged the Election Commission to prioritise increasing voter participation instead of allowing mass deletions. He warned that implementing NRC-like measures under SIR would require similar documentation. "This is not SIR. This is NRC National Register of Citizens in the guise of SIR," he stated.

During his Hyderabad visit, Yadav highlighted the growing influence of AI across various sectors like agriculture and healthcare. He explained that Vision India aims to guide the country's future direction. "The aim of Vision India is that the country should run as per a vision," he noted.

Political Discussions in Hyderabad

Yadav met with CM Revanth Reddy to discuss political matters. Reddy briefed him on his government's development and welfare initiatives. Yadav praised Reddy's decision to recognise Sadar, a festival celebrated by the Yadav community in Hyderabad, as a state festival. "The Yadav community would always remember Revanth Reddy for the decision," he said.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister stressed that politics should focus on vision rather than division. He mentioned that negativity in politics should end, with an emphasis on progress. After meeting BRS Working President K T Rama Rao and other party leaders, Yadav shared his thoughts with reporters.

Parliament Winter Session Insights

Discussing the Parliament Winter Session, Yadav remarked on individuals who had never sung Vande Mataram suddenly wanting to do so. He compared public inconvenience caused by SIR to past events like demonetisation, COVID-19 measures, and GST implementation.

Rama Rao expressed admiration for SP's performance in Lok Sabha polls despite being out of power in UP. Yadav announced Vision India's launch on November 11 and praised youth for being progressive and inclusive, rejecting societal division.

Yadav also spoke with BRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao and plans to meet him soon. The discussions focused on ending negativity in politics and promoting progress through collaborative efforts.

With inputs from PTI