Veiled bid to impose NRC using poll body as tool, claims Thirumavalavan

CHENNAI: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president and Lok Sabha MP Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday described the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a "targeted assault on citizenship rather than just voting rights," warning that the move was part of a larger design to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) through indirect means.

Talking to reporters after participating in the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister MK Stalin, Thirumavalavan said, "The SIR is not merely about revising voter lists; it is a politically motivated attempt to question and weaken the citizenship of Indians. What appears as an electoral exercise is actually a veiled attempt to impose the NRC using the Election Commission as a tool."

He lauded the Chief Minister's "swift and responsible action" in convening the meeting and welcoming the draft resolution proposed by Stalin to oppose the process. "The VCK appreciates the Chief Minister's urgency and the clarity with which he has outlined the danger," he said.

Accusing the BJP-led Centre of pushing an agenda that undermines constitutional rights, the Chidambaram MP added, "This is not about voter verification but citizenship verification. The intention is to implement the NRC step by step. The Election Commission has no authority to carry out such work."

He also stressed that the SIR should not be undertaken within a year before elections, citing existing legal provisions. "Let the Supreme Court decide the pending case. Until then, this exercise must be halted. We strongly oppose any move that threatens citizenship under the guise of electoral revision, " he declared..