by Suresh Pd Nikhar
Gaya/Patna: Leaders of the Mahagathbandhan alliance took to the streets of Gaya on Tuesday in a fierce demonstration against the ongoing revision of the voter list in Bihar, calling the move a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise marginalized communities ahead of the assembly elections.
Top leaders from the RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), and other alliance partners gathered near Gandhi Maidan, launching a protest march that passed through key intersections of the city before culminating at Tower Chowk. Shops were closed down during the procession, as protesters raised loud slogans condemning the government and alleging electoral manipulation.
RJD MP from Jehanabad, Dr. Surendra Prasad Yadav, who led the march, slammed the government’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign, calling it a “conspiracy to rob the poor and backward communities of their voting rights.” “This exercise is being carried out with the sole aim of deleting names from the voter list, especially those of Dalits, backward classes, and the poor who often lack proper documents,” he said.
The protest coincided with the call for a Bihar Bandh on July 9. In anticipation of unrest, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) conducted a joint flag march at Gaya Railway Station under “Operation Arrangement.” Led by RPF Inspector Banarasi Yadav, GRP Inspector Sushil Kumar Thakur, and GRP Station Officer Rajesh Kumar Singh, the flag march took place between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM, covering platforms, PRS booking counters, and surrounding areas. A total of 60 officers participated, while fire brigade personnel with emergency vehicles remained stationed under the supervision of Sawan Kumar Paswan.
Authorities reported that the station and its premises remained peaceful and all train services were operating normally.
The protests come amid rising political tension in Bihar following the Election Commission of India’s launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign. As part of the drive, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are conducting door-to-door verifications to update electoral rolls, requiring citizens to furnish identification documents.
Opposition parties have strongly criticized the campaign, alleging that it is undemocratic and designed to exclude vulnerable populations from the voting process. Several senior political leaders, including RJD’s Manoj Jha, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, and activist Yogendra Yadav, have approached the Supreme Court, warning that the revision could lead to mass disenfranchisement.
While the Supreme Court on Monday declined to place an interim stay on the campaign, it has agreed to urgently hear the matter on Thursday.
As political temperatures soar in the poll-bound state, the issue of voter list revision appears set to become a major flashpoint in the run-up to the elections.
