Patna, August 4, 2025 – Union Minister Giriraj Singh has strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi of the Congress and Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing them of spreading falsehoods about the Bihar government’s ongoing Special Identification and Registration (SIR) drive. The controversy arose following a series of public statements made by opposition leaders, who alleged that the SIR initiative was being misused for political surveillance and social profiling.
In response, Giriraj Singh said that such claims are entirely baseless and politically motivated. “The SIR drive is an administrative effort to streamline identification processes and improve delivery of government schemes. It has nothing to do with political surveillance or targeting of any community,” Singh said during a press briefing.
According to the Bihar government, the SIR initiative is meant to gather accurate demographic and socio-economic data to enhance governance and public service delivery. It includes updating residents' details, linking welfare entitlements, and identifying gaps in existing beneficiary databases.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier alleged that the drive lacked transparency and accused the state of infringing upon citizens' privacy. Tejashwi Yadav went further, claiming that the exercise was aimed at targeting opposition supporters and weakening backward communities. Both leaders demanded that the SIR process be immediately suspended and reviewed by an independent body.
Dismissing these allegations, Giriraj Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are deliberately trying to create confusion among the people. They are politicizing a routine administrative initiative that has the potential to improve governance in Bihar. Such irresponsible statements only weaken public trust.”
He also clarified that no personal or sensitive information is being misused, and all data collection is being carried out in accordance with legal procedures and privacy norms. “The opposition leaders are not raising concerns based on facts but are simply engaging in fear-mongering for political mileage,” Singh added.
Officials involved in the SIR program reiterated that the drive is not connected to any law enforcement or political activities. Instead, the aim is to build a unified state database that can help improve the efficiency of welfare programs such as housing, education, healthcare, and employment schemes.
Political analysts believe that the opposition’s attack on the SIR drive may be part of a broader strategy to mobilize public sentiment ahead of upcoming elections in the state. However, they also point out that such controversies can distract from the actual benefits of improved administrative systems.
Giriraj Singh concluded by appealing to all political leaders to act responsibly and support initiatives that are designed to benefit the public. “Political differences are natural in a democracy, but spreading lies for short-term gain does lasting damage to governance and public welfare,” he said.
