BJP's Dilip Kumar Jaiswal slams Mamata Banerjee over SIR objection, says 'Bihar has shown the way'

Speaking to ANI after formally taking charge as Bihar's Industries Minister on Tuesday, Jaiswal said the people of Bihar had rejected attempts to politicise the issue and had full faith in the sanitised voter list.

"Mamata Banerjee should learn from Bihar. About the 15 crore people in Bihar, more than 6 crore voters in the state, rejected the 'vote chori' and the issue over SIR raised by Rahul Gandhi; they have no issues with SIR," Jaiswal said. He added that the process was conducted systematically and transparently, ensuring that only legitimate voters remained on the rolls.

Explaining the rationale behind SIR, Jaiswal said the objective was to remove duplication, weed out ineligible names and verify identity. "If someone has died, his name should be removed from the voting list; if there is duality of names in the list, then one name should be omitted. If any voter is traceless... and he is not found there for the last five years, that name should be removed," he said.

Taking a direct swipe at Banerjee, he further questioned her motives for opposing the process. "If someone is a citizen of another country, can't prove their citizenship, such a person's name should be removed from the list... What problem does Mamata Banerjee have with this process? Does she want a foreigner to be able to vote here?" he asked.

Jaiswal, who received a ceremonial welcome at his new office with bouquets, said he would now focus on strengthening Bihar's industrial environment. Stressing the responsibility accompanying his dual roles, he said, "We have to work tirelessly for the next five years for the betterment of the youth of Bihar."

He added that the state government's priority would be employment generation and faster industrial approvals to attract investment. (ANI)