'Tejashwi's life is in danger, 4 attempts made to kill him': Rabri Devi on RJD protests over Bihar's SIR of polls

Rabri Devi

As the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) continues protests over Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi has alleged there has been a bid to kill Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav.

While addressing the media, Rabri Devi raised serious allegations against the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance, claiming a conspiracy to assassinate Tejashwi Yadav amid growing protests over the controversial SIR exercise.

"We will definitely protest as it is about the people of Bihar... What about the 4 crore people who have gone out of the state?... We have been surrounding the Assembly since 5 days... The state government must respond... 4 attempts were made to kill Tejashwi Yadav and his life is in danger... The BJP and JD(U) are the ones conspiring..." she said.

The Opposition has criticised the voter list revision exercise, claiming it risks the disenfranchisement of millions, particularly migrant workers and economically vulnerable citizens who may struggle to meet document requirements. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has maintained that the SIR is a routine, court-monitored process and that 99% of eligible electors have already been covered.

The Bihar Assembly elections are expected later this year, tentatively in October or November, though the ECI has yet to announce official dates.

While the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will once again seek to continue its stint in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and left parties, will aim to unseat Nitish Kumar.

Meanwhile, the Parliament has witnessed frequent adjournments for the last four days since it began on July 21. Yesterday, the proceedings in both houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day amid protests by the opposition.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge joined the protest by MPs of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) against the ongoing SIR of voter rolls in poll-bound Bihar. The protest, which entered its fifth consecutive day, was held at Parliament's Makar Dwar.

Several senior Congress leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and party leader Priyanka Gandhi, also participated in the protest. The MPs marched from the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises ahead of the start of the day's session.

The MPs were seen carrying multiple posters and a large banner that read "SIR-Attack on Democracy."

The India bloc MPs, at the Parliament premises, raised slogans against the Centre, chanting "Modi sarkar down down" and "Stop the attack on democracy." The MPs also tore down the posters in a symbolic gesture of rejecting the Bihar SIR.

(With ANI inputs)