Patna, July 11 (IANS) Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has stirred controversy by calling the Election Commission a “Bhathiyara Commission” and “Peon Commission”, accusing it of functioning under the influence of the BJP and RSS.

His remarks came during a visit to Darbhanga amid the ongoing controversy over voter list revisions in Bihar.

“This is not the era of TN Seshan and KJ Rao, when the Election Commission worked independently,” Yadav said, adding, “Today, they appear to be mere peons of the BJP and RSS,” he alleged.

Yadav questioned the timing and intent behind the revision of the voter list. “We are fighting for the 2.25 crore people of Bihar. Was the voter list prepared just six months ago? Did leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Narendra Modi become PM under such conditions? We hope the Supreme Court will rule in favour of the poor,” he said.

Responding to questions about an incident during the July 9 Bihar Bandh, where he was allegedly prevented from boarding a protest vehicle in Patna, Yadav downplayed the episode. “We are fighting for the honour and dignity of Bihar. What does it matter if Pappu Yadav is insulted? I’ve been respected and insulted since childhood. I’m ready to face it a lakh times if it helps save Bihar and Biharis,” he said.

The protest saw top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Mukesh Sahani, Dipankar Bhattacharya, and D. Raja participating in a march on a lorry converted into a chariot.

Yadav, who tried to join them at Patna’s Income Tax roundabout, later clarified that reports of misbehaviour were exaggerated and that he had fallen in the crowd.

Later, Yadav visited Simri village in Darbhanga to meet the family of a deceased individual, continuing his outreach in the state on Thursday, where he used these words for the Election Commission.

However, his use of the term “Bhathiyara” has drawn criticism. In colloquial usage in Bihar, it implies ineffectiveness or passivity. But “Bhathiyara” is also the name of a marginalized community listed among the most backward classes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

According to the 2023 caste-based survey, the community has a population of just over 27,000 in Bihar, with most members being landless and economically disadvantaged.

–IANS

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