The recent missive written by Shyam Lal Pal, Samajwadi Party (SP) Uttar Pradesh chief, to the Election Commission (EC) has sparked a major controversy. In his letter, Pal urged the poll panel to issue directions that Muslim women’s burqas should not be removed for identity verification during voting in the upcoming state Assembly by-polls. This move has been accused by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of communalising and vitiating the electoral atmosphere, with BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi calling it a ploy to polarise the minority community.
Meanwhile, RJD MP Manoj Jha has put the responsibility on Prime Minister Modi to address this issue and ensure equal treatment for all citizens. Pal’s letter highlights an incident from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where Muslim women voters were allegedly forced to remove their veils by police officers, causing fear and discouraging them from casting their votes.
This missive has once again brought forth the sensitive issue of religious polarization in politics and raises questions about ensuring fair and equal treatment for all voters.