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BJP leader and former Union minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday accused the opposition of targeting constitutional institutions after electoral defeats, defending the Election Commissions Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls amid protests against the exercise.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of Navratri celebrations in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur alleged that opposition parties accepts the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) when they win elections but question the institutions after losing. Lies have no legs to stand on. Those who want to pursue politics based on falsehoods and continuously target constitutional institutions have nothing to gain from it, Thakur said. He alleged that some opposition leaders were acting in accordance with the agenda of foreign forces and attempting to weaken Indian democracy, without providing details to substantiate the charge. Defending restrictions governing public demonstrations, Thakur said political parties and organisations must follow established rules, obtain permission and inform authorities about the expected number of participants. There is no objection to anyone holding a protest or demonstration, provided it is conducted according to the rules. But a country cannot function if some people believe they are above institutions, rules and the law, he said. On the SIR exercise, Thakur argued that removing the names of deceased voters, duplicate entries and people who had migrated elsewhere did not amount to the denial of legitimate voting rights. He questioned the oppositions objections, asking whether deceased individuals, people with duplicate registrations or those who had migrated were entitled to vote from multiple locations. Thakur also referred to the electoral revision process in Himachal Pradesh, claiming that voters had been given several months to raise objections and that political party representatives, including booth-level agents, had opportunities to participate in the process. He questioned why the opposition was protesting if the exercise was intended to remove ineligible entries from electoral rolls. Earlier, extending his greetings on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri, Thakur said millions of devotees visit temples across the country every year to seek the blessings of the goddesses. (ANI)
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