New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Patna on Wednesday, July 9, to join the statewide bandh called by Opposition parties in protest against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. However, JD-U’s National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad has dismissed these concerns of the Opposition parties and termed the protests as ‘political theatrics’.

The visit of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, comes amid rising political tensions in Bihar, with the Opposition accusing the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA government of undermining the democratic process just ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.

Hitting back, JD-U’s Rajeev Ranjan Prasad dismissed the Opposition’s concerns, stating that the SIR is a routine protocol, not a conspiracy.

“By the time Rahul Gandhi arrives, nearly half of Bihar’s forms would already have been submitted to the Election Commission. This exercise happened in 2003 as well. So far, 36 per cent of Bihar’s voter forms have been collected,” he told IANS on Wednesday.

Prasad further defended the integrity of the process, contrasting it with previous Congress governments.

“The country has seen how, during the Congress era, Election Commission officials were appointed at the whims of party leaders,” he claimed.

“Today, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are made through a formal law,” he professed.

On the law-and-order front, Prasad addressed the recent murder of businessman Gopal Khemka, revealing that one accused has been arrested while another was neutralised in a police encounter. “Bihar Police is working swiftly. Crucial developments will emerge soon,” he assured.

He rejected the Opposition’s claims of a law-and-order collapse, stating that the worst crime period in Bihar was between 1990 and 2005.

“Under CM Nitish Kumar’s leadership, the situation has improved drastically. The police are equipped with modern technology and act swiftly — no criminal committing such heinous acts is spared,” he asserted.

–IANS

sas/rad