'Enemies of democracy': NDA leaders slam Cong-RJD's Voter Adhikar Yatra

New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) The ongoing ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ sparked sharp political reactions from leaders of the ruling NDA in Bihar, on Monday, with several top ministers accusing the opposition of misleading people, labeling them as "enemies of democracy."

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha launched a scathing attack, branding those participating in the Yatra as anti-democratic.

“They are enemies of democracy,” he said, dismissing the campaign as theatrics without substance.

Echoing similar sentiments, JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha questioned the motives behind the yatra, stating “The people of Bihar know everything. In our Mithila region, there is a saying, ‘Chor baaje zor se,’ meaning the one who is guilty often speaks the most.”

Minister Ashok Choudhary cast doubt on the political impact of the campaign.

“Gathering crowds in roadshows and converting that into votes are two separate matters. As long as Congress remains allied with RJD, Congress has no prospects in Bihar,” he asserted.

Minister Shravan Kumar criticized the opposition’s narrative and defended the Election Commission’s efforts to clean up voter rolls.

“This ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ is being carried out under calculated political motives. Their ground has completely eroded... If the Election Commission is removing the names of deceased individuals, what is the objection?” he asked.

RLD leader Malook Nagar went a step further, predicting the collapse of the opposition’s momentum.

“The history of Uttar Pradesh 2017 will be repeated in Bihar. Their momentum will completely collapse. This yatra will mark the final stage of the INDI Alliance,” he claimed.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra, spearheaded by opposition parties under the banner of INDIA Alliance, is aimed at highlighting alleged voter list irregularities and demanding transparency from the Election Commission.

The Yatra is set to conclude in Patna on Sunday, with a symbolic padyatra (foot march) at Gandhi Maidan, drawing in party workers and civil society voices.

While the opposition projects it as a grassroots movement to protect electoral rights, the BJP and its NDA allies have dismissed it as a political gimmick designed to regain lost ground ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls.

--IANS

rs/mr