Congress ministers and legislators sat in protest at the CEO’s office in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanding a thorough investigation
Bengaluru: Chief minister DK Shivakumar Thursday accused BJP and JD(S) of a criminal conspiracy to delete some 50 lakh eligible voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) and demanded that cases be registered against those involved.
Addressing a news conference, he said pre-filled Form 7 applications were submitted to booth-level officers (BLOs) to remove voters largely belonging to minority communities, SCs, STs, backward classes and economically weaker sections. He said 1.07 crore names were already excluded during SIR and notices issued to 45 lakh voters. Another 50 lakh deletions are now being attempted. Such attempts, he claimed, were being made across 70% of polling booths. He said the forms were submitted on Sept 22, 23 and 24 — just before the deadline ended for claims and objections. “Some Congress MLAs told me 8,000 applications were filed in Ballari City and 10,000 in Ballari Rural. In some constituencies, 5,000 to 10,000 voters were targeted,” he said, adding that a civil society group led by actor Prakash Raj had visited polling stations and gathered details.
Failing this, he said the SIR should be scrapped. “This is a criminal conspiracy and a systematic attempt to create hatred and disturb communal harmony,” he said. Minister MB Patil (Babaleshwar MLA) said BJP office-bearers and even a sitting corporator had facilitated the exercise. “In Vijayapura City alone, over 14,000 Form 7 applications were submitted,” he alleged.
He urged Election Commission (EC) to register FIRs, identify everyone involved, arrest them and act against anyone who pressured BLOs. RDPR minister Eshwar Khandre (Bhalki) also cited instances from his own constituency.
Reacting to the development, state BJP president BY Vijayendra defended the party’s Form 7 applications, saying it had every right to flag voters it suspected were illegally added to draft rolls.
“Initially during the SIR, Muslim voters were pooled together in masjids and kalyana mantaps, officers were called to the spot and voters added,” he said. He said BJP functionaries will not be cowed by FIRs nor retract. “There is a suspicion that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were added to the list. We flagged them. ECI will verify these applications and reject them if found false. What is the crime in this?