Chennai, Nov 14 (UNI) Continuing his tirade against the Election Commission and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK president MK Stalin on Friday charged the Election Commission with placing people under duress and compulsion to prove their citizenship or face disenfranchisement.
“People are under compulsion to prove their Indian citizenship or else face the threat of disenfranchisement.
The Election Commission has placed them under duress. So, wherever we go the discourse is about the ongoing SIR and the situation is such that we can’t remain silent by ignoring it. For, there is the danger of people being stripped of their right to vote. And, you know, who has created this predicament,” he said, addressing the Booth-Level functionaries of the DMK at his Kolathur constituency in North Chennai.
“It is the handiwork of those at power in the union Government. As they have been creating hardships and hurdles for opposition-ruled States, through the investigating agencies, now they are using the Election Commission as a handmaiden and have created this pathetic state of affair,” he said adding that the DMK had approached the Supreme Court to ensure that no genuine voter should be deprived of the right to vote.
Recalling the ‘vote chori’ expose of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the DMK chief said “Our beloved brother Rahul Gandhi has not only unveiled the lid on vote theft, but has presented enough proof. This makes our task very clear that no genuine voter in Tamil Nadu should be left out in the SIR exercise and it is a major burden that rests on our shoulders. For, today is November 14 with the enumeration coming to an end on December 4, we have very little time.” Further, reiterating his charge that the enumeration form itself is confusing, said “Tamil Nadu as a whole is lamenting.”
“Not only Tamil Nadu is fighting SIR”, he said and drew attention to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banrjee’s steadfast opposition and neighbouring Kerala, where both the ruling Marxist party and the opposition Congress are united in this fight. But, sadly, the opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu has shamelessly filed a petition in the Supreme Court in support of the SIR.”
“If the AIADMK continues this path of being a slave of its Delhi bosses, it can’t even be a fringe party, leave alone being the principal opposition. Since they do not have the confidence of the people, they have opted for this shortcut,” he alleged.
