SIR row: 'Zero transparency, zero accountability from EC', alleges YouTuber Dhruv Rathee

Bengaluru, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on Thursday demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and alleged that there was "zero transparency and zero accountability from the EC," over the SIR exercise.

Addressing a protest christened 'people's tribunal,' held by civil societies and the CJP at Freedom Park here against the SIR, Rathee said he took part in the agitation as an ordinary citizen and rejected allegations that his presence was aimed at bringing about a change in government.

Also Read: Bengaluru protests: Actor-activist Prakash Raj demands scrapping of SIR exercise


"I have not come here for regime change. Neither Elon Musk nor George Soros has funded me. I have come here with my own money," he said.

The YouTuber alleged that 'Vote Chori' (vote theft) concerned every citizen irrespective of their political affiliation.

"Whether you vote for the BJP, whether you vote for the Congress, or whether you support any other party, this is an issue that concerns every citizen of the country," he said.

Rathee stressed that his participation was not on behalf of any political party and said the issue should concern those supporting BJP as well.

"If you believe that every citizen in this country should have the right to vote, then you too should support our cause, and you should also come and join the protest," he said.

Referring to West Bengal, Rathee claimed that around 70,000 voters were removed from the electoral rolls before the Assembly elections and were added after the election results.

"They were real, genuine voters. They were on the electoral rolls before the elections and they were on the electoral rolls afterwards, but they were not on the rolls at the time of voting," he claimed.

Also Read: SIR: Civil society, youth groups rally in Bengaluru over voter roll revision

In Bihar, Rathee claimed around 65 lakh names were removed from the electoral rolls and alleged that the Election Commission did not disclose the names and addresses of those affected until the Supreme Court ordered that the information be made public.

"So until someone tells the Election Commission to disclose such information, the EC does not reveal anything on its own. There is no transparency. Zero transparency and zero accountability," he alleged.

Rathee also cited a media report and alleged that in Uttar Pradesh, around 14 lakh voters were added to the electoral rolls, but their names were not disclosed.

In Goa, he claimed Electoral Registration Officers wanted to add around 100 names but it could not be done as there was no provision in the software to do so.

"Names are being added at will, names are being removed at will - everything is being done according to someone's wishes," he alleged.

Rathee thanked Karnataka's civil society organisations for what he described as ground-level evidence gathered over the previous 10 days.

He said the groups had travelled across districts, met people whose names had allegedly been deleted from the electoral rolls or who had been declared dead, and brought some of them before the gathering.

"That is why I say: 'Vote thief, leave the seat.' That is why we say that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must resign," he said.

He also praised those attending the protest as patriots and criticised those defending CEC Kumar, calling them "anti-national."

Rathee concluded with the slogans: "Vote thief, leave the seat" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai", urging the gathering to repeat the slogans so that "the whole world can see the protest".