Bihar BJP Chief's Demand for Burqa-Clad Voter Verification Sparks Political Controversy

Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal has said faces of burqa-clad voters must be verified. (Representational)

Patna:

A significant controversy has erupted following Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal's call for verification of burqa-clad voters during the upcoming Bihar election. This demand has drawn sharp criticism from the RJD, which accuses the BJP of engaging in politics of "hatred," while BJP's coalition partner JDU has distanced itself from these remarks.

During his meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar yesterday, Jaiswal presented several recommendations, including the verification of burqa-clad women at polling stations. "Tallying of faces of voters, especially burqa-clad women, must be ensured with respective EPIC cards so that only genuine voters get to exercise their franchise," he explained to media representatives after the meeting.

Currently, representatives from all political parties are conferring with the Chief Election Commissioner in Patna to provide input and suggestions regarding the forthcoming election.

Jaiswal's statement about burqa-clad voters has prompted a vigorous response from the primary opposition party, RJD. Party MP Abhay Kushwaha, who headed the RJD delegation meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, responded to questions about the BJP leader's comment by saying, "This is a political conspiracy. The Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls has just been carried out. New EPIC cards are to be issued to all voters with fresh photographs. Identification of voters is no big deal. But the BJP wants to push its own agenda."

Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha has supported his party colleague's demand for verification of voters in burqas and compared it to the situation of Hindu women wearing veils. "According to the Constitution, the law should be the same for all. Whether a woman is in a burqa or not, if the Election Commission imposes a rule to check the face of a woman voter, it should be the same for everyone. It is not acceptable that one can see the faces of women with ghoonghat (veil), but not the faces of women with a burqa. Women officers will check the faces of women voters. What is the problem?" Sinha remarked, adding that the electoral body's decision would be final.

The BJP leader's statement has not received support from alliance partner JDU. JDU leader Khalid Anwar expressed that his party is "disappointed" by such statements. "The poll body must reply to this. Our leader, Nitish Kumar, does not endorse such politics. He has always worked for the rights of women," he stated.

A similar controversy emerged last year when footage showed K Madhavi Latha, the BJP candidate for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, requesting burqa-clad Muslim voters to reveal their faces for verification. Subsequently, then Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar clarified that voters at polling stations would be identified according to election regulations, while respecting their cultural values.