BJP steps up attack on SIR row

BJP CMs and leaders hold coordinated briefings defending ECI, attacking Congress

The BJP launched an all-out attack on the Congress on Sunday for questioning the poll panel while dismissing the Opposition party’s allegations of vote theft and charging it with sowing the seeds of “anarchy and chaos”. Chief ministers from BJP-ruled states and party leaders held synchronised press conferences across the country as the party attempted to stop the Congress from gaining an upper hand in controlling the political narrative.

The coordinated counter-offensive came a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) refuted reported fissures within the institution regarding SIR and issued a statement.

Strongly criticising the Congress and its allies for questioning the ECI, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath accused the Opposition party and its allies of weakening democratic institutions for political interests while terming the recent statements by the Opposition parties on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls “extremely irresponsible”. He said, “Congress and its allies should apologise to the constitutional institutions of the country and to the people for their actions.” He added that the SIR was not being conducted for the first time and that the exercise had been carried out in 1952, 1957, 1961, 1965-66 and 2003, when Congress-led Governments were in power for much of the period.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said attempts were being made to create circumstances to mislead people in the country. She dismissed the political storm as a “baseless and manufactured” controversy. Referring to Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, the CM said their statements were no less than treason and that cases of treason should be registered against them. She questioned why the Opposition was troubled when the names of people who had died years ago, duplicate names or names of people who did not even exist were verified and corrected, bringing the genuine voters to the fore.

Rejecting accusations levelled by the Opposition, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma described them as a “political campaign”. Sarma pointed out that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) cannot take unilateral decisions under the law and the Constitution, and that internal consultations within a multi-member body are normal and proper.

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari meanwhile blamed former CM Mamata Banerjee for the deletion of 27 lakh names and asserted that neither the BJP nor the poll panel could be held responsible for the exclusions. “Those who are unable to mentally accept the BJP’s victory in Bengal are trying to spread confusion by clinging to a fabricated report,” Adhikari said.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the Opposition’s allegation of vote theft and accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to weaken public trust in constitutional bodies to sow seeds of “anarchy and chaos”. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis dismissed media reports alleging rifts within the poll panel and said all three election commissioners had clarified in a joint press statement on Saturday that they took decisions on the SIR unanimously.

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of spreading “lies and confusion” about the ECI and demanded his resignation. Yadav said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha should apologise for questioning the ECI over SIR.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami too hit out at the Congress. “Every time they fabricate a narrative, it proves to be false, and they get exposed,” he said.  The CM pointed out that while everyone has the right to question any institution in a democracy, such questions and allegations must be supplemented with facts. Dhami recalled the ECI’s clarification on Saturday, saying the SIR order issued on June 24, 2025, was passed unanimously, contradicting the earlier news report that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar went ahead with the process despite objections from two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. “It would be inappropriate to portray any internal deliberations or comments as a ‘difference of opinion’ regarding the commission’s final decision,” Dhami said.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini urged the Opposition to respect constitutional institutions such as the ECI, saying allegations against them should be backed by evidence. Saini targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, alleging that they make reckless statements and baseless accusations before later offering unconditional apologies. He said the Opposition had every right in a democracy to question the Government and seek answers, but such questions should be based on facts. Allegations against constitutional institutions, he added, should be supported by concrete evidence.

Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary said, “It was during the Congress rule that former Chief Election Commissioner MS Gill became a Union Minister. Another ex-CEC, TN Seshan, contested an election on the Congress ticket against former BJP president Lal Krishna Advani. There was also the case of VS Ramadevi, who had served as an Election Commissioner long ago and was later made a Governor. So, the Congress does not have any right to question the EC’s impartiality”.