Ravindra Chavan posted a clip of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Parliament speech, then shot back at the Thackeray brothers’ Garjana Morcha, calling their opposition to the State‑wise Inspection Report (SIR) a political stunt.
Chavan asked whether “infiltrators” could decide the country’s Prime Minister and Chief Minister if the SIR were halted, and whether a voter should be allowed to vote at more than one place. He added that deceased names on the voter list must be removed, demanding clarity before any protest.
Opposition leader Sanjay Raut called Chavan’s remarks “unwarranted political harassment” and warned that the BJP’s move could polarise voters.
The Election Commission’s SIR, launched in 2021, aims to trim duplicates and remove dead names from the electoral roll, a move endorsed by the central government but contested by state opposition parties.
A 62‑year‑old resident of Pune, Shobha Nataraj, said she saw her name twice on the list and feared she might be disenfranchised if the SIR is blocked.
The state assembly will debate the SIR amendment next month; the BJP has pledged to push the revisions through, while opposition parties prepare a counter‑motion.