On Monday, Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to manipulate the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengaluru. Hariprasad claimed that the BJP is using Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as a pawn in its campaign against the Congress. The Karnataka Congress President made these comments in response to allegations made by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, who accused the Congress of irregularities in the voter enumeration process. Hariprasad stated that around 5.65 lakh voters have been mapped in Karnataka, but attempts are being made to exclude nearly 50 lakh genuine voters from the electoral rolls.
Hariprasad questioned Kumaraswamy’s involvement in the BJP’s allegations, citing his past criticisms of Pralhad Joshi. The Congress leader alleged that the BJP has a history of electoral malpractice and has mastered the practice of casting votes in the names of deceased persons. Hariprasad also challenged Pralhad Joshi to explain his contributions to Karnataka’s development and culture in Parliament. The Karnataka Congress President further alleged that the BJP has failed to obtain environmental clearances for the Mahadayi project, despite celebrating its implementation before elections.
Hariprasad claimed that the BJP has shifted its focus to the Special Intensive Revision after campaigns around the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He cited the example of Assam, where only around 23,000 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were identified, despite earlier allegations of large numbers. Hariprasad also alleged that 91 lakh names were removed from the electoral rolls in West Bengal, with the status of around 27 lakh voters remaining unclear. The Congress leader denied allegations of irregularities in the voter enumeration process, stating that any procedural lapses would be examined by the Election Commission.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalorean News