New Delhi - A letter by Samajwadi Party (SP) Uttar Pradesh chief Shyam Lal Pal to the Election Commission (EC) regarding Muslim women voters has ignited controversy. Pal's letter, urging the EC to ensure polling officials do not remove Muslim women's burqas for identity verification during the upcoming by-elections, has drawn criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who accuse the SP of attempting to polarize voters.

The BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi condemned the letter as a divisive tactic, stating, "This is what you will hear when fake voters and pseudo secular voices will be exposed." The BJP called it a fresh attempt to polarize the minority community and said that their gameplan stands exposed now.

Pal's letter, written on Tuesday to the Chief Electoral Officer, highlights an alleged incident during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where Muslim women voters, particularly those supporting the SP, were forced to remove their veils by police officers. He claims this incident caused fear and discouragement among these voters, potentially impacting voter turnout.

"Many SP supporters, especially Muslim women, left polling stations without voting due to the discomfort and intimidation they faced," Pal wrote. He emphasized that only polling officers should have the authority to verify voter IDs and requested the EC to issue directives to Returning Officers, District Magistrates, and law enforcement officers to this effect.

This controversy comes ahead of the November 20 by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, where nine seats, including Meerapur, Kundarki, and Ghaziabad, will be contested.

(Source- IANS)