Karnataka: Ruckus over SIR, BJP leaders raised questions, why did Congress say ‘thank you’?

The Election Commission is conducting Special Intensive Review (SIR) in Karnataka. But, this time a surprising pattern has been seen in this southern state. In fact, till now only the opposition parties were upset and protested against the SIRs conducted in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. But, for the first time in Karnataka, the BJP-led NDA alliance is openly opposing the SIR.

A delegation of senior Karnataka NDA leaders on Monday submitted a formal complaint to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V. Ambukumar. NDA has alleged large-scale irregularities in the SIR process of the voter list released in Karnataka.

Demand for legal action

The complaint demands immediate checking of all calculation forms and mandatory door-to-door re-verification. They have also demanded legal action against all officials and political functionaries found responsible for the irregularities in these SIR process.

BJP and JDS are raising issues together

BJP and JDS are involved in this matter. Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje and HD Kumaraswamy have put forward their views regarding the alleged irregularities. The Karnataka CEO was accompanied by Union ministers along with Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka and a delegation of Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and senior leaders of both the parties arrived and submitted the complaint to them.

What did the leaders write in the letter?

The leaders wrote in the letter, ‘We are writing this letter expressing serious concern over the large-scale irregularities in the work related to SIR of voter list in the state of Karnataka. The officers conducting SIR are not caring at all about the accepted procedure, due to which the basic spirit of democracy is being weakened. Under the instructions of the District Election Officer, BLOs are required to conduct necessary door-to-door verification as per SIR guidelines and personally verify the identity of members of each household, but this is not happening at the ground level.

Shobha Karandlaje’s statement

Minister Shobha Karandlaje said, ‘I submitted a video and wrote a letter to the Election Commission. It is illegal to call everyone together in Madrasa or anywhere else to fill the enumeration form. The law says everyone must be given a form at their home and the form must be brought back. But Karnataka is the only state where this is happening. To save his chair, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is manipulating the voter list to include only minority communities, especially Muslims.

HD Kumaraswamy’s statement

Meanwhile, HD Kumaraswamy said, ‘This is our fourth complaint. We have given evidence to the Commission in the video which shows how this government is misusing its office, telling our officials how to work and illegally manipulating names for its own benefit. We have requested the CEO to order the state government to take action on this. The CEO has already sent a message to the Election Commission. I believe two officers have been sent here from there. We will wait for one or two more days for action and if this process continues then we will meet the Election Commissioner in Delhi.

He also said, ‘The Election Commission has taken strict steps under the supervision of the Supreme Court to ensure that no illegal infiltrators or illegal activities are allowed in West Bengal. Illegal work is being done here at the behest of Chief Minister DK Shivkumar, that is why we are protesting.

Congress asked the wrong question

At the same time, Congress in-charge of Karnataka and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala has termed this protest as the double attitude of BJP and NDA. He told BJP and JDS that if they have the courage to come forward and cancel the governments formed after the SIR process in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam etc.

Surjewala said that if according to NDA, deleting 47 lakh votes in SIR before the assembly elections in Bihar, 84 lakh votes before the elections in West Bengal and 11 lakh votes in SIR before the Assam elections was wrong and the result of the last Bihar assembly elections should be cancelled.