Prashant Bhushan slams SIR as ‘Hindu Rashtra’ tool

Hyderabad: Senior Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan has strongly criticized the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging it is a strategic tool being utilized to transform India into a 'Hindu Rashtra.' Speaking at a seminar organized by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) in Hyderabad on Saturday, Bhushan warned that this exercise threatens to reduce Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis, Christians, and other minority groups to the status of second-class citizens by undermining the constitutional concept of citizenship.

Bhushan drew attention to past judicial precedents to support his stance, recalling that the Supreme Court of India had previously intervened when a Chief Election Commissioner attempted similar actions in Maharashtra in 1995. He noted that the apex court had questioned the legality of stripping individuals of citizenship simply for lacking specific documents and had ruled in 2004 that determining citizenship falls outside the Election Commission’s mandate. Despite these rulings, Bhushan accused the Centre and the Election Commission of bypassing constitutional limits, asserting that the poll body has fallen under the control of the Modi government.

He further alleged a disparity in how the process is being implemented, claiming that while the SIR exercise is stalled in states governed by non-BJP parties, voters are being arbitrarily deleted in BJP-ruled states. The seminar, held at the Medina Education Centre in Nampally, also featured former high court judges who voiced concerns regarding communal polarization. Former Bombay High Court judge Abhay Thipsay criticized the narrative that the Muslim population is increasing to take over the country, labeling it false propaganda. Meanwhile, former Telangana High Court judge Chandrakumar cautioned the state's Congress government that it was voted to power to counter the BJP and BRS, warning that it would face consequences if it failed to uphold secularism.

During the event, the APCR released a fact-finding report documenting alleged instances of state violence and atrocities against Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis in Telangana over the last few years, with several victims sharing their personal experiences. The gathering was attended by civil society figures including Professor Haragopal, Dalit Bahujan Front representative Kalpana, and APCR representatives Sheikh Usman and Nadeem Khan.