Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi suspects that the central government may implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) sooner or later. They feel this because a ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) is being conducted and a commission has been formed under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to investigate demographic issues.
**’Amit Shah works under a plan’**
Addressing a meeting of lawyers on the ongoing ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) process of the Election Commission in Telangana, Asaduddin Owaisi said, “…whenever Home Minister Amit Shah holds a meeting, remember this… See, the man does no wrong. He does not make empty threats… He is consistently working as per a well-crafted plan…”
**’Amit Shah finally wants to implement NRC’**
He said, “…I suspect – though I may be proved wrong – that he ultimately wants to implement the NRC. After all, it is a high-level inquiry commission (to examine demographics)… which is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge…”
**’Don’t talk about conspiracy later’**
Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that SIR exercise is being done to remove names of people from the voter list. He said, “I am again telling the Telangana government: issue Permanent Resident Certificate… set the parameters. Don’t say later that there was a conspiracy or something went wrong. Now is the time to react; now is the time to take constructive steps.”
**’Don’t cry later if names are removed’**
The AIMIM chief told the Congress government in Telangana that it needs to understand:
Mamata Banerjee lost her election; MK Stalin lost his election.
Mamata Banerjee lost the election even at her own booth – the same place where her house was.
The people of the Congress government do not understand this. They defame AIMIM. ‘If your name is removed, don’t come crying’
He said, “…we hope Mr. Revanth Reddy… will be fair, you are not giving appointment… don’t give; I have no objection to it. But I am making this appeal – this demand – to the people: if this Congress government does not give any response… then don’t come here crying later when the names of the poor are removed.”
SIR process is going on in 16 states
At present, the Election Commission is conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in 16 states and three union territories, including Telangana.
The SIR process started from Bihar, which was the first phase.
Subsequently, the SIR process was completed in states like UP, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, which was the second phase. Most of these were states where assembly elections were to be held.
Owaisi fears that people whose names have been removed from the voter list during the SIR process may face problems in the future.
