Agartala: BJP rallies for SIR, Manik Saha says INDIA bloc misleads people

Tripura's ruling BJP held a large rally in Agartala on Saturday, October 31, to back the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a day after the opposition INDIA bloc marched in the capital demanding that the exercise be withdrawn.

The rally was part of the BJP's nationwide "Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy" (Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao) campaign. The Times of India reported that thousands of people from neighbouring subdivisions joined, raising slogans against the Congress-CPI(M) alliance.

Saha: opposition 'targeting institutions'

Chief Minister Manik Saha said the INDIA bloc was undermining constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, and that its campaign against the SIR was meant to mislead people, according to an IANS report carried by The Hawk.

He said the Election Commission was empowered to revise voter lists to keep them accurate, and that removing the names of dead and otherwise ineligible voters was essential for free and fair elections, Tripura Star News reported. Saha also referred to the Supreme Court's observations on the exercise, responded to opposition charges of "vote theft", and alleged that certain foreign elements were trying to disturb India's democratic environment.

In a post on X after the rally, the Chief Minister said the turnout showed that "the true strength of democracy lies in the people".

Debroy: revisions held 'at least 10 times' before

State BJP president Abhishek Debroy questioned the intent of the opposition's rally, calling the SIR a constitutionally mandated exercise that had been carried out at least 10 times when Congress was in power, The Times of India reported. He accused the opposition of trying to destabilise the government and drew comparisons with recent unrest in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Former Chief Minister and MP Biplab Kumar Deb also addressed the gathering. Ministers Pranajit Singha Roy, Sushanta Chowdhury, Sudhangshu Das, Tinku Roy and Shukla Charan Noatia, and Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder were among those present.

The opposition's case

The INDIA bloc, which includes the Congress and the Left parties, held its own rally in Agartala on Friday demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an end to the SIR. The opposition has said the revision could strike genuine voters off the rolls. NEInsider found no opposition response to Saturday's remarks at the time of writing.

Civic polls ahead

The duelling rallies come as Tripura heads into elections for 21 urban local bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation. Polling is on November 27, nominations close on November 6, and counting is on December 2. The SIR in Tripura has been deferred until after the civic polls.