Owaisi slams INDIA bloc as 'elite club' over SIR electoral roll issue

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the INDIA bloc, calling it an 'elite club' and stating no party has a monopoly over the SIR issue. He said AIMIM has been opposing the electoral roll revision from the start and is fighting it legally.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi described the INDIA bloc as an “elite club," stating that no party has a monopoly over the issue of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Owaisi asserted that AIMIM has been opposing the exercise from the beginning and would continue its fight through legal, political and public means. He said, “If you want to turn this into an elite club, then congratulations to you. We will continue doing our work. We will keep fighting and protesting against it. But understand one thing: nobody has a monopoly over any particular issue."

'We are fighting legally, politically and publicly'

Responding to questions about the parties coming together against the SIR exercise, Owaisi asserted that AIMIM had consistently raised concerns over the issue and had approached the Supreme Court. “We have been opposing the SIR from the very beginning. We are fighting legally, politically and publicly. Even today, we have approached the Supreme Court. Our lawyer then was Nizam Pasha, and he is representing us today as well,” he said.

Referring to the SIR exercise in Bihar, Owaisi claimed that AIMIM was the only political party to have submitted 1,000 names to the Supreme Court that had been included in the ASD (Absent, Shifted, Dead) list. “We were the only party to submit 1,000 names to the Supreme Court that had been included in the ASD list. Did any other political party submit such a list?” he asked.

Questioning Legal Immunity for Election Commissioners

The AIMIM chief also recalled his party's interventions in Parliament on legislation granting legal immunity to Election Commissioners, arguing that such provisions could affect the credibility of the Election Commission of India. “Who questioned why legal immunity was being granted to the Election Commissioners? If a case can be registered against the Prime Minister or the Home Minister, why did the government bring in a law granting legal immunity to the Election Commissioners?” Owaisi said.

He further asserted that AIMIM had raised concerns in Parliament about the potential impact of the legislation on the Election Commission's credibility, adding that former MP Imtiaz Jaleel had been present alongside him.

'We are out on the streets': Owaisi to critics

Owaisi also questioned those criticising the party's approach, saying AIMIM members had been working on the ground and protesting against the SIR. “You say that our fight is causing you losses. We are out on the streets, sweating it out and working hard. Why didn't you come to us?” he asked.

This comes as the INDIA bloc is leading an agitation in the national capital against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.

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