Nirmala Sitharaman's Husband Calls SIR 'Bloodless Political Genocide', To Join Jantar Mantar Protest

Economist Parakala Prabhakar, husband of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is set to join the 'People's March to Restore Democracy' on October 23 demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 

The protest has been called by the 'People Against SIR' alliance, formed on October 14, comprising organisations representing students, youth, farmers, workers, women, Dalits, tribals and minorities. The alliance has announced a march with slogan “Har haath mein tiranga, har gali mein Jantar Mantar” a tricolour in every hand and a Jantar Mantar in every street. 

Prabhakar will share the stage with Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor-activist Prakash Raj, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and others. 

Prabhakar has described the SIR exercise as a “bloodless political genocide of citizenship”, alleging deletion of names deprives eligible citizens of voting rights. 

Demands include removal and prosecution of CEC, scrapping SIR and restoration of deleted voters.