‘CM’s involvement in SIR review raises questions’ | Lucknow News

Lucknow: UP Congress chief Ajay Rai on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his scheduled review of SIR activities in Azamgarh, Jaunpur and Varanasi.“SIR is entirely an EC process. Why is the CM reviewing it? This proves that the EC has effectively become an agency of the BJP. The CM’s involvement raises serious questions about the neutrality of the electoral process,” he said. According to him, the development shows that “In the state, election management was replaced by power management”, while the EC’s silence “indicates it is now functioning like a field agent of the ruling party”. Rai accused the govt of creating a climate of fear in the name of SIR. “Several BLOs died due to administrative pressure. Before holding review meetings, the CM should visit the homes where families lost loved ones under the burden of SIR pressure. Ignoring these deaths shows insensitivity,” he said. TNN