Congress leader Udit Raj on Thursday, 24 September 2026, issued a sharp indictment of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling it a 'direct betrayal of the country' and alleging that democracy and the Constitution had been fundamentally undermined. His remarks came as the SIR dispute escalated to the highest levels of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

What Triggered the Remarks

The immediate context was a report in a leading daily that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions regarding decisions of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and certain processes of the Election Commission. The reported objections pertained to additions and deletions of names from electoral rolls during the SIR in various states, and concerns over whether the two commissioners were adequately informed about key decisions by the CEC.

'This is a direct betrayal of the country. What greater crime could there be than that the entire democracy has been stripped bare and the Constitution has been torn to shreds?' Udit Raj said.

Udit Raj's Allegations on Bihar and Maharashtra

Udit Raj went further, alleging that the BJP and Janata Dal (United) government in Bihar, which he claimed was formed through the SIR process, 'should absolutely not have been formed.' He also alleged irregularities in Maharashtra, calling both instances 'treason against the country.' The claims are attributed to Udit Raj and have not been independently verified.

Notably, the SIR controversy has become a flashpoint between opposition parties and the ECI, with critics arguing that roll revisions ahead of state elections can disproportionately affect voter eligibility.

Support for Akhilesh Yadav's PDA Rath Yatra

Udit Raj also extended support to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's PDA Rath Yatra, which began from Raebareli, saying the Congress and the Samajwadi Party shared broadly aligned priorities. 'Our agenda and theirs is almost the same. Social justice is a priority in their eyes as well, and Rahul Gandhi is, of course, its flag-bearer,' he said. The remarks signal continued Opposition coordination ahead of future electoral contests.

Bihar Law-and-Order Row: Samastipur Incident

Udit Raj separately reacted to a video that surfaced on Wednesday, purportedly showing an incident of harassment of a girl in Samastipur, Bihar — approximately 131 km from Jamui, where a similar incident had recently occurred. According to reports, a group of men on motorcycles surrounded a girl and a boy travelling on a village road in Jagatsinghpur village, and allegedly verbally abused and physically pushed the girl.

A senior police officer confirmed that four accused persons had been arrested and a First Information Report (FIR) had been registered in connection with the incident.

Udit Raj recalled a statement by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary that 'even if a farmer returns from his field at 12 midnight, he will be safe, otherwise I will resign,' and demanded: 'Now Samrat Choudhary should just resign.' The Bihar government has not yet formally responded to Udit Raj's call.

With opposition voices growing louder over both the electoral roll controversy and the law-and-order situation in Bihar, the coming days will likely see heightened political pressure on the ECI and the state government.