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Amit Shah on Friday spoke on the ongoing SIR excersise and said that preventing infiltration is essential for national security.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah (PTI Image)
Amid the ongoing debate over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across states, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that preventing infiltration is essential for national security. He further attacked the Opposition parties for opposing the SIR and said that it is “unfortunate that some political parties are trying to weaken the campaign to remove infiltrators”.
While Shah did not name any political party, his remarks came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the ongoing SIR exercise in the poll-bound state was “chaotic, coercive and dangerous”.
Highlighting the importance of SIR, the Union Home Minister said that the BSF is working tirelessly along all borders of the country to prevent infiltration, and stopping infiltrators is essential not only for national security but also to protect India’s democratic system from being contaminated.
He said it is unfortunate that some political parties are trying to weaken the campaign to remove infiltrators. “These parties are opposing the SIR process initiated by the Election Commission to cleanse and verify the voter list.”
“We are committed to identifying and removing every single infiltrator from this country. Only Indian citizens have the right to decide who becomes the Chief Minister or Prime Minister of this nation. No infiltrator has the right to pollute our democratic system or influence our democratic decisions,” Shah said.
He added that the SIR is a process aimed at securing and purifying India’s democracy. Shah appealed to the public to fully support the voter list verification process conducted by the Election Commission.
He also warned political parties allegedly protecting infiltrators that the people of India will never support such intentions, especially during elections like those in Bihar.
Mamata Banerjee Opposes SIR
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a strongly worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, said the SIR has reached a “deeply alarming stage” and alleged the drive was being run in an “unplanned, dangerous” manner that had “crippled the system from day one”.
“The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous,” the Chief Minister wrote in the letter, adding that the absence of “basic preparedness, adequate planning or clear communication” had pushed the process into disarray.
She also accused the Election Commission (EC) of thrusting the SIR upon officials and citizens “without basic preparedness”.
Under “extreme pressure and fear of punitive action”, many were being pushed to make “incorrect or incomplete entries”, risking disenfranchisement of genuine voters and “eroding the integrity of the electoral roll”, she added.
She further warned that these failures had rendered the entire exercise “structurally unsound” and placed its “credibility at severe risk”.
Banerjee urged Kumar to intervene and halt the drive, stop “coercive measures”, provide proper training and support, and “thoroughly reassess” the current methodology and timelines.
“If this path is not corrected without delay, the consequences for the system, the officials and the citizens will be irreversible,” she cautioned, calling the moment one that demands “responsibility, humanity and decisive corrective action”.
Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a…Read More
Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a… Read More
November 21, 2025, 12:54 IST
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