Chugh said that these three crore people do not wish to come forward because “they know that if they do, they won't be able to cast vote — and they might even end up having to return to Bangladesh.”NEARLY THREE crore “infiltrators” from Bangladesh were among those who did not come forward to verify their eligibility as voters, senior BJP leader and the party’s Gujarat in-charge Tarun Chugh alleged on Tuesday, while also claiming that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was “making efforts to get these people registered as voters.”Chugh also alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) “opened gates” for such persons to enroll as voters in West Bengal after coming to power in that state in 2011.He made the remarks while interacting with mediapersons at the Gujarat BJP’s state headquarters — Shree Kamalam — in Gandhinagar.Chugh also denied multiple allegations levelled by the Opposition Congress, such as the alleged “deletion of 13 crore voters’ names from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise”. He denied this allegation and argued that those deletions were of people in several categories, such as those who had died or relocated to new addresses.He elaborated on the process of verification of voters who were absent during the SIR and claimed, “(Among the 13 crore people)… three crore people have been reported to be absent. These are official records. Meaning, of the 13 crore, three crore persons are those who have not turned up (for verification). Who are these three crore (people)? And why do they not turn up (for verification)? It is a big question…These three crores are infiltrators.”Levelling a direct allegation against the TMC, which is led by former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Chugh claimed, “…the TMC formed the government in (West) Bengal in 2011… it opened the gate for votebank. ‘Come, settle down and cast your vote.’…And the biggest compromise of the country’s security was done. And they (the infiltrators) made their way into the country via that route, and a system — a so-called system — facilitated the creation of their Aadhaar cards and all their other identification documents.”“Now, the Election Commission says that if a person was not on the electoral roll before 2004, they must explain where they were… These three crore people are individuals who did not live in India before 2004, and they do not wish to come forward and disclose where they used to live…So, Rahul Gandhi is undertaking this massive exercise to get three crore infiltrators — who are not Indian citizens — registered as voters,” he added.Story continues below this adChugh said that these three crore people do not wish to come forward because “they know that if they do, they won’t be able to cast vote — and they might even end up having to return to Bangladesh.”The BJP leader also denied the Opposition’s allegations of ‘vote theft’, pointing out that the system in the country involves “multiple layers of verification that include booth level officers (BLOs) and booth level agents (BLAs)”. Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More Tags:Bangladesh ImmigrantsGandhinagar