Protests Erupt in Meerut Over Alleged Voter List Tampering Targeting Minority Community
In a shocking incident that has stirred political tensions, protests erupted in Ameenabad Bada Gaon village within Meerut district on Monday. The uproar followed revelations that a man associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had submitted pre-filled 'Form 7' documents to the Booth Level Officer (BLO), aiming to delete at least 200 names from the voter list. The targeted individuals were predominantly from the minority community, raising serious concerns about electoral integrity during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work.
Allegations of Systematic Voter Deletion
Villagers reported to local media that nearly 200 voters were singled out in this scheme, with around 60 living persons falsely declared as deceased. According to their accounts, printed and pre-filled Form-7 documents, containing voters' names and EPIC numbers, were arbitrarily completed and submitted with the intent of removing Muslim voters from the electoral rolls. This has sparked outrage among residents, who view it as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise a specific community.
Official Response and Investigation Ordered
Meerut District Magistrate V K Singh addressed the controversy, stating, "It is not known from where BLOs procured Form 7 for voter deletion. They (BLOs) gathered people under a 'conspiracy'. A probe has been ordered. I want to assure that no valid votes will be deleted." This assurance came amidst growing public anger, with authorities vowing to scrutinize the matter thoroughly to prevent any illegitimate alterations to the voter list.
Protest and Viral Social Media Impact
The protest unfolded at the Ameenabad primary school, where villagers had gathered for corrections under the SIR process. Ameenabad falls under the Kithore constituency, represented by Samajwadi Party MLA Shahid Manzoor. The demonstration quickly gained traction, with a video of the protest going viral on social media platforms, amplifying calls for accountability and transparency in the electoral process.
Eyewitness Accounts and Allegations
Former village pradhan Talib Chaudhary provided a detailed account, saying, "Manveer, a villager associated with BJP, gave at least 200 'Form 7' to the BLO, requesting them to remove the names. Meanwhile, I received the information and approached the BLO to see the forms. To my shock, the proposed names are cited as either migrated or dead, but these people are alive and living in the village." He added that the protest led to assurances from the BLO that no valid voters would be removed.
BLO's Statement and Lack of Cooperation
BLO Mohd Zafar, who serves as an assistant teacher at Ameenabad primary school, confirmed receiving the forms from Manveer. He stated, "Manveer gave me the forms, and when I asked for his Aadhaar card, he refused. I have assured the villagers that no valid votes will be deleted." Efforts to contact Manveer for his side of the story were unsuccessful, as he was not available for comment, leaving many questions unanswered.
Community Reactions and Personal Stories
During a visit to Ameenabad, members of the minority community shared their distressing experiences. Mohd Ayaz, a local villager, recounted, "I was shown as migrated in the SIR form. When I was informed that it was Manveer who did this, I confronted him, but he alleged that the BLO did it." Such accounts highlight the personal impact of the alleged fraud, with residents fearing loss of their voting rights and calling for swift action to restore trust in the electoral system.
This incident underscores the critical need for vigilance in voter list revisions and has prompted calls for stricter oversight to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
