Tejashwi Yadav Faces Flak For 'Urine' Remark On Journalist's 'Sources', Accused Of Insulting Fourth Pillar Of Democracy

Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, on Sunday, made demeaning remarks as he lashed out at a journalist for citing ‘sources’ regarding the possible presence of illegal migrants in Bihar's electoral rolls. Tejashwi's outburst came up as he criticised the Election Commission's voter verification process, claiming it could disenfranchise nearly 7.9 lakh voters across the state. Responding to a question, which is now widely criticised as an insult to journalists and journalism, the RJD leader labelled ‘sources’ as ‘urine’, saying, "Hum wo sutra ko mutra samajhte hain (We consider that source to be urine)".

Tejashwi's concerns stemmed from the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which is claimed to review and update the voters' list in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. According to Yadav, if even one percent of voters are left out during the verification process, it could have huge implications for the electoral outcome. "This means around 3251 voters could be removed in each assembly seat," he pointed out, stressing on the impact on the RJD's electoral prospects.

The RJD leader's ire was directed not only at the EC but also at the journalist who cited ‘sources’ as the basis for the report on illegal migrants in the electoral rolls. When asked about the origin of the news, the journalist replied "sources," prompting Yadav to retort, "We consider that sutra as urine...there is no basis for it." His remark stirred a row with political parties launching blistering attacks against him and his party for insulting the fourth pillar of democracy. 

The Election Commission officials, however, claim that field-level functionaries have identified a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar during house-to-house visits. The officials maintain that the exercise is aimed at ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.

On the other hand, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the voter verification process is being carried out without proper checks or communication, possibly disenfranchising migrant workers and others who have moved outside Bihar for work. "Is this just eyewash? Why are these voter deletions happening under the direction of Amit Shah or Modi ji?" he asked, questioning the independence of the Election Commission.

The political tensions surrounding the voter verification process have escalated, with opposition parties accusing the government of attempting to manipulate the electoral rolls. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, has accused the opposition of “playing politics on the shoulders of wrongfully registered voters”.