The streets of the national capital are gearing up for another wave of widespread demonstrations. Various civic groups, student organizations, left-wing trade unions, and the Cockroach Janta Party have decided to launch a united front against the SIR process. These organizations have announced a major campaign spanning from November 26 to December 20, warning of significant disruptions and mobilization across the capital.
A Month-Long Movement Beginning on Constitution Day
Protests in the capital are scheduled to kick off on November 26, following an announcement made by Peoples Against Sair during a press conference held on Thursday. Marking the occasion of Constitution Day, these demonstrations will run continuously until December 20. The campaign will see civil society activists, peasant unions, student bodies, and various other groups coming together to protest against the Special Intensive Revision.
Four-Kilometer March Planned From Mandir Marg to Jantar Mantar
On the opening day of the agitation on November 26, a four-kilometer-long foot march will be organized from Mandir Marg to Jantar Mantar. P. Krishnaprasad, finance secretary of the CPM-backed All India Kisan Sabha, provided details about the march, stating that its primary objective is to reclaim designated protest spaces. Following this march, public meetings will be held across the country, where individuals affected by the SIR process will present their personal experiences and evidence.
Concerns Over Changes to Voter ID and EPIC Numbers
During the press conference in Delhi, activist Anjali Bhardwaj raised serious administrative concerns. She noted that while the Election Commission has restored some names to the voters list, merely adding names is insufficient; canceling old Form-6 applications, forcing citizens to fill out new enumeration forms, and restoring the original EPIC number is imperative. She explained that many citizens rely on their voter cards to access essential welfare benefits such as ration cards, pensions, and scholarships. Because EPIC numbers have been altered, these individuals are struggling to prove their eligibility for such schemes. Furthermore, residents of unauthorized settlements must prove their historical voter status to qualify for rehabilitation, making the change in voter numbers dangerous for common citizens.
Complications Surrounding Form-6 and Draft Rolls
Activists further pointed out that in areas where the SIR process has not yet concluded, the enumeration procedure has been reopened specifically for voters who were wrongfully deleted. Many individuals whose names failed to appear in the draft rolls have already filled out Form-6 to register anew as fresh voters. In regions where the revision has already been completed, the only remaining recourse for affected citizens is to register again through Form-6, which consequently generates a completely new EPIC number.
Actor Prakash Raj also launched a sharp critique against the authorities during the event. He remarked that citizens who marched with the tricolor to safeguard the Constitution were arrested, while the Home Minister was seen marching with the tricolor in Telangana and speaking about democracy. He also alleged that labeling three million people as Bangladeshi infiltrators is an absolute falsehood, given that the total population of Bangladesh is only slightly above 17 million.
