Bihar, UP Residents Allegedly Added to Guwahati Voter Rolls, Opposition Alleges

Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Sunday levelled serious allegations against the BJP-led state government, accusing it of attempting to alter Assam’s demographic structure through the Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls instead of completing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update as mandated under the Assam Accord.

Addressing the media, Saikia claimed that the ongoing Special Revision process was being misused to include a large number of voters from outside the state, thereby posing a threat to the political, social and cultural rights of Assam’s indigenous people. He alleged that secret instructions had been issued to include between 5,000 and 10,000 “unidentified” voters in each Assembly constituency at the last moment.

According to Saikia, this alleged exercise was aimed at nullifying the Assam Accord and ensuring the continuation of what he described as the BJP’s “authoritarian and communal rule” in the state for another five years by relying on migrant and non-Assamese voters.

Citing what he called “explosive evidence” from the heart of Guwahati, Saikia claimed that people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh had been illegally enrolled as voters in the Tayabulla Road area, located close to the Gauhati High Court. He specifically mentioned irregularities in House No. 44 and House No. 2.

He alleged that in House No. 44, where only four residents live, the names of four additional persons from Bihar and Hindi-speaking backgrounds were added to the voter list. Similarly, in House No. 2, which belongs to Kazi Nekib and has only two family members, three extra names were allegedly included.

Saikia said he had earlier raised the issue in the Assembly, questioning how the Assam Accord, the state’s political autonomy and economic independence, and Clause 6 of the Accord could be protected if people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were enrolled as voters in Assam. He claimed the concerned minister failed to provide any clear answers.

“The evidence now clearly shows that the BJP is trying to influence Assam’s politics by bringing in unknown voters from outside the state. There is a dangerous attempt to change Assam’s demographic character and impose dominance from the Hindi heartland,” Saikia alleged.

He further accused the BJP of pursuing an agenda of “one nation, one religion and one language” under the guise of Hindutva, asserting that Hindi is not the national language and that every region has its own identity and pride. “This conspiracy is not limited to Assam; people in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh also understand what is happening,” he said, calling for public resistance against such moves.

Drawing parallels with other states, Saikia referred to cases highlighted earlier by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka, Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar, where dozens of voters were allegedly shown as residing in small rooms or even in houses without names or proper addresses. He also mentioned instances where foreign-sounding names were allegedly found on voter lists, claims that the Congress says were backed by documentary evidence.

Reiterating the Congress party’s long-standing demand, Saikia said Assam does not need Special Revision (SR) or Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises. “What Assam needs is the completion of the NRC in accordance with the Assam Accord. Many names are already in the NRC, while others were left out due to various reasons. Those excluded should be given a fair opportunity to submit documents,” he said.

He pointed out that the Assam Accord clearly states that Assam must be made free of illegal foreigners, and argued that only a completed NRC would reveal the actual presence of foreigners in the state. Saikia also criticised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, noting that while they had earned political mileage by scrapping the IMDT Act, they have shown no courage to complete the NRC process.

“The Congress is the only party consistently demanding the completion of the NRC, the preparation of a foreigner-free voter list and the deportation of illegal immigrants. We remain firm on this stand,” Saikia asserted.

He further alleged that ahead of the publication of the draft electoral rolls on December 27, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the state were put under immense pressure to include new names. Saikia claimed that nearly 30 BLOs lost their lives due to excessive work pressure and harassment, while many others were issued show-cause notices and threatened with action for any lapses.

“The government claims it wants a ‘clean’ voter list, but in reality, the BJP has secretly instructed officials to add 5,000 to 10,000 voters per constituency,” Saikia alleged.

The Congress leader concluded by warning that such actions would have serious consequences for Assam’s future and reiterated that the party would continue to protest against any attempt to undermine the Assam Accord and the rights of the state’s indigenous people.

Also Read: LoP Debabrata Saikia Rejects ‘People’s Pulse’ Survey, Calls It Politically Motivated