YS Jagan Expresses Concern Over Arrests of SIR Protest Leaders

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that arresting leaders involved in protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would not resolve the underlying issues and could instead intensify tensions. Emphasising the need to restore public confidence in the electoral process, he called for addressing systemic concerns proactively rather than allowing disputes to escalate.

Jagan expressed concern over the arrests of Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were taken into custody by police on Tuesday and subsequently shifted to Tihar Jail. According to reports, the arrests were linked to alleged violations of bond conditions concerning the maintenance of law and order and their entry into Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, after the area had reportedly been declared off-limits for demonstrations.

Reacting to the developments in a post on X on Wednesday, Jagan argued that preventive action and timely intervention were more effective than responding to incidents after they occurred. He stressed that the focus should be on identifying and correcting shortcomings in the system rather than relying on arrests to manage the consequences of public protests.

The controversy comes amid broader concerns surrounding the SIR exercise, which involves the revision of electoral rolls. The process has drawn attention to questions about electoral transparency, the credibility of voter lists and the need to ensure that citizens retain faith in democratic institutions. Jagan's remarks underline the importance of addressing such concerns through appropriate institutional measures.

The YSRCP chief has previously questioned aspects of the electoral process. In the 2024 general elections, the alliance comprising the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in Andhra Pradesh, while the YSRCP suffered a significant setback, winning only 11 Assembly seats and four Lok Sabha seats.

Following the results, Jagan raised concerns about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and advocated returning to the ballot-paper system. His latest comments reflect his continuing demand for greater confidence in electoral procedures. He maintained that resolving underlying institutional issues, rather than arresting protest leaders, was essential to preventing further escalation and strengthening public trust in the democratic process.